


It's A FAKE World

by totally4ryo



Series: Two Worlds [4]
Category: FAKE (Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Steampunk, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-17
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-01-19 16:42:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 80,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1476775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totally4ryo/pseuds/totally4ryo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The 27th Sector is an elite division of Torchwood NY commanded by Dee Laytner and his Second, Ryo MacLean. This is the story of the main squad of the 27th Sector, and a love story of Dee and Ryo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a FAKE story set in my [Two Worlds](http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/185719.html) but instead of set in Cardiff, it's set in New York City and focuses on Torchwood NY and the characters from FAKE. Torchwood characters are mentioned only as well as concepts unique to Torchwood and Doctor Who. FAKE characters, Torchwood (the Institution) and New York City all have been tweaked to fit this universe.

Title: It's A FAKE World  
Author: Totally4Ryo  
Word Count: 4696  
Rating: PG-13 for language (for now - we'll see where the muses take it)  
Disclaimer: FAKE belongs to Sanami Matoh. I'm just borrowing them and only having fun. Torchwood belongs to "He Who Shall Not Be Named" and the BBC.  
Characters/Pairings: Dee Laytner/Ryo MacLean, Bikky Goldman (MacLean), Drake Parker, J.J. Adams, Ted (Montgomery), Marty (Martinson), Warren Smith, Berkeley Rose  
Summary: The 27th Sector is an elite division of Torchwood NY commanded by Dee Laytner and his Second, Ryo MacLean. This is the story of the main squad of the 27th Sector, and a love story of Dee and Ryo.  
Beta by: [](http://milady-dragon.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://milady-dragon.livejournal.com/)**milady_dragon**  
Notes: This is a FAKE story set in my [Two Worlds](http://totally4ryo.livejournal.com/185719.html) but instead of set in Cardiff, it's set in New York City and focuses on Torchwood NY and the characters from FAKE. Torchwood characters are mentioned only as well as concepts unique to Torchwood and Doctor Who. FAKE characters, Torchwood (the Institution) and New York City all have been tweaked to fit this universe.  
Dee and Ryo have been together for 4 years. For reference in the Two Worlds 'verse, this is set 3 years after "Two Worlds, One Love" (meaning 2 years before "Two Worlds, One Crime").  
Additional Notes: Technically this is my first completely AU fan fiction (the other Two Worlds fics don't count because the normal Torchwood world was included).  
I hope someone likes this! *cross fingers*

Honorable mention: This is for [](http://badly-knitted.livejournal.com/profile)[**badly_knitted**](http://badly-knitted.livejournal.com/) and [](http://awieatti.livejournal.com/profile)[**awieatti**](http://awieatti.livejournal.com/) for getting me back in the FAKE mood, which lead me to Sanami Matoh's website and even though I've seen it before, the cover for FAKE Second #3 sparked the inspiration for this.

 

Director Dee Laytner ran down the tree-lined city block, past the brownstone rowhouses in pursuit. He put more speed in his run trying to close the gap and let out a muttered curse when the creature turned the corner long before Dee would reach it.

“The bastard just turned north onto Columbus from 85th Street,” he spoke into his comm device., activating it by touching the earpiece which had a coiled wire connected to it and going to the small pack attached to the front of the copper colored leather utility belt. The belt had other packs and pouches as well as his holster; inside the holster was a brass gun that shot tranquilizer pellets.

The belt sagged lower on his left side and was over his own black leather snakeskin and brass eyelet belt that was part of the ensemble he currently wore. He wore black leather trousers with silver lacings up the side and silver buttons in the front. A different textured leather panel ran under the lacings. His trousers were tucked into sturdy, no-nonsense black leather boots with copper buckles on the outer ankles. They had proven to be both durable and comfortable whenever he found himself in pursuit or in battle.

He wore a cream-colored diamond patterned shirt under a dark blue brocade waistcoat that clasped close on his right side with black leather trimming. His long black overcoat was wool with embossed wide black leather trimming. The coat shoulders and upper front and back panels as well as the collar panels and cuffs were the same black leather. It billowed out behind him as he ran making him appear heroic and always reminded him of Ianto and Jack with their trademark coats. The coat was a Rift Day gift after he was named the Director of the 27th Sector. Jack had said at the time that anyone in his position should have a coat like that, but they were never able to convince Director Warren Smith, Dee’s predecessor, of that and that it was time to amend it. Since then it was Dee’s working coat, always wearing it when the weather dictated outer wear while on duty and sometimes when the weather made him look quite mad wearing it but he realized it always help command attention. “Anyone in the area to intercept it?”

“I see it,” Jemmy “J.J.” Adams replied through the comm unit’s open squad channel.

“Can you intercept?” Dee asked coming near the corner.

“I’m not sure I want to,” came the reply. “What the heck is that?” J.J. near squeaked.

“Later J.J.,” Dee replied. He reached the corner and stared down the street. It wasn’t hard to locate it with pedestrians screaming as they moved out of the way of the creature. It had knocked down several people but thankfully it seemed more intent in escape than harming anyone. “Whatever you do, I want to bring this back alive.”

“If you insist, Dee,” J.J. snorted.

As Dee started to run up along Columbus Avenue, past all the swank cafes and clubs in Victorian and Gothic style buildings, he noticed J.J. crossing 86th Street in his direction. The creature was nearing J.J. Dee thought they would be able to apprehend it and bring it back to the 27th but before J.J. had a chance to reach it, the creature started to run into the street on Columbus. It knocked over a street vendor cart causing fresh vegetables to spill all over the place and the Italian woman who owned it to start cursing after she let out a blood curdling scream.

Dee cursed again as he altered his direction to run into the street, yelling out an apology to the women. People on the sidewalks stopped as the strange creature ran past them, eliciting loud gasps, screams and cursing.

“Dee, I’m coming up behind you, turning onto Columbus,” Randy ‘Ryo’ MacLean, Dee’s partner and lover, said over the comm channel.

“Ryo, we have some downed people and a destroyed street vendor. Give them a hand. I’ll let you know if J.J. and I need help. Drake, where the fuck are you with the van?” he demanded over the channel.

“I’m on Columbus now, approaching 80th,” Drake Parker replied. He was driving the steam carriage that sat 2 and had a large cargo space in the back and was the basic vehicle assigned to their squad for retrieval missions.

“Dee, I’m approaching your location overhead,” Ted Montgomery’s voice informed them.

“Great,” Dee replied, starting to feel the run he put in so far. He gulped in a deep breath of air and continued to run.

The creature ran up in the middle of the street, ducking horse-drawn carriages and steam-powered vehicles. The creature ran past one of the horses and snarled at it, causing the horse to buck up and go wild. The horse started to run in a wayward course, running into another horse, causing that one to go wild, before it ran into a steam carriage. Both the horse and the carriage it pulled to fell over. The second horse caused a chain reaction, creating crashes down the street.

“Shit,” Ryo’s voice came over the comm just as Dee faltered as he watched the mess happening in the street near him. “What the hell is happening there?”

“A fuckin’ mess, that’s what,” Dee replied. “Ryo, you need to get over here as soon as you can.”

“Dee, I’ll look after things here. Just get that beast.”

“Roger. Work with the local police on this. I’ll call in another team to help out since technically this is our mess,” Dee said as he watched the creature turn right on 86th Street. J.J. turned right after the creature.

“Careful!” Ryo warned as Dee barely avoided getting run down by another stray horse and headed onto the sidewalk nearing the corner. He heard more screams from pedestrians on the normally quiet tree lined street of Victorian and Baroque style homes.

“I’m fine. Ted, get in the vicinity of the park,” Dee stated. “If it gets in the park we have a greater chance of losing it and we’ll need your vision from up there.”

“How about you and J.J. down the beastie before then?” Ted replied.

“We’re trying,” J.J. replied. “And we better do it soon because I don’t know how much further I can keep running.”

“I hear that,” Dee remarked as he started to run down the street, seeing J.J. not far ahead of him and the creature in a boiler suit not far ahead of the smaller man. He pushed himself to run faster, hoping the team would be able to act without communication from him because running and speaking was now too hard to do at the same time.

J.J. had also pushed himself and started to close the distance between him and the creature.

The race ended when the creature decided to run down the stairs to a servant’s entrance of a moderate size Victorian mansion and found itself trapped as J.J. was finally able to get aim and shoot it with the tranquilizer pellet.

Dee ran up right behind J.J. and they went down the steps toward the fallen creature. Dee already had the cuffs out that were shipped to them from the home office when the current infestation of the aliens had started in New York City weeks ago. He secured the creature as J.J. covered it with his gun. Once assured they would be able to handle it, both J.J. and Dee leaned against the stone wall.

“Guys, we have it. Drake, can you get over 32 W. 86th?” Dee asked out of breath. “Ted, you can head back to Columbus to give a hand, and have Clean-up response send over a squad in the vicinity. Have them report to Ryo.”

“Meaning I’m stuck here for a while,” Ryo’s voice broke in.

“Sorry babe, but one of us should be here.”

“And you have the Weevil, and I’m best with dealing with the local coppers, even if you are the one with the history with the NYPD,” Ryo replied.

“See?” Dee replied. “You know what you’re doing. I’ll see you later, Ryo.” He turned his attention to J.J. “C’mon and let’s haul this thing to street level.”

“Sure, but after that, Drake is doing the rest of the hauling,” J.J. replied.

Dee placed a sympathetic hand on the shoulder of the smaller man. “That’s what I’m saying,” he replied with a grin and then bent down to get a hold of the alien creature.

OoOoOoO

 

The Torchwood NY complex was located on the river side of 12th Avenue between W. 21st and W. 24th Streets, along with the transportation pool across 12th Avenue taking up the full block up to 11th Avenue between W. 24th and W. 26th Streets. The transportation pool had a lot with several steam-driven vehicles of various sizes including a few buses, all with the Torchwood logo on them. There was the maintenance building for their ground vehicles, including the horse-drawn carriages and stables for the horses. There was a large building along 12th Avenue that was equal to 40 stories with three twisted spires which housed their airship facility. Each level was equal to 5 normal stories and had large copper pulley doors, some of them open to reveal the various airships in use.

The riverside complex included 3 piers, a marina, a park, a 56 story spiraling gothic tower which housed not only Torchwood NY but Torchwood US headquarter. The copper and brass exterior of the tall oblong building was designed in spirals, giving it the appearance that it was twisted. Between the copper and brass exterior frame was plenty of windows. In the park were three gothic style buildings. One of the buildings was a sprawling mansion used for functions and had visiting VIP suites. The other two were moderate size and like the mansion, they had many verandas. One pier had several steam-powered ships, while the others two and the marina had a few yachts and personal use boats. High above the ground, stretched out across the side of the park which jutted out some in the marina to the north most pier was the gleaming brass and copper structure that was the airship platform for Torchwood airships and zeppelins. A narrow copper structure with a clock tower served as the entrance to the lifts and stairwells going up to the waiting area and platform. It was an impressive looking complex which drew many New York tourists to view and photograph.

Torchwood also had guided tours of their facilities for a nominal charge, the profits going to Torchwood sanctioned charities that served the New York area. One of the charities was the Children’s Home that Maria Lane ran. While no child in need was ever turned away, Maria’s Children’s Home was primarily for misplaced alien children or victims of the Rift which ran through New York City. Dee Lane Laytner, the adopted son of Maria Lane, was raised first in the home itself as an infant and then in the apartment Maria maintained in the building next to the home after she had adopted Dee as her son when he was 5.

Manhattan was the central location where the Rift would deposit beings or items from other worlds and times, but sometimes they would get a spike in one of the other boroughs of the city and the New Jersey side that ran along the Hudson River. Several centuries before, a Rift had appeared in New York City which enabled Torchwood to open its 1st division outside of the U.K. From studies since it was first detected, it appeared to be connected to the one in Cardiff. There was a theory that the Doctor was somehow responsible for it but no one, including the Doctor himself, was able to determine exactly how it had happened. That was classified and known only to high level employees within the organization.

Since the Rift’s appearance, the alien population in New York City had grown as the Rift started to displace more beings from the future and/or other worlds in the universe. It was only in the last decade that any victims of the Rift who were displaced from the future and knew where and when they had come from were able to be returned. Those who were discovered to be simply locally displaced and had enough information about their home worlds always had a chance of getting back to their homes. Many were able, which some were not and there were also some who choose to remain where they found themselves. Until two decades ago, the information would be sent to Cardiff and if arrangements were able to be made to have the displaced beings picked up, they would be sent to Cardiff. Now all research and arrangements were made directly in Torchwood New York. Investigation, contact and arrangements were now a division within the 27th Sector.

Dee Laytner had been the Sub-Director of the 27th Sector for the last four years, with Ryo MacLean as his Second. Other than returning any misplaced Rift victims to their homes, it was also responsible to retrieve whatever the Rift would spit out, as well as handle crimes relating to the aliens in the city and to investigate unauthorized time travel. It was the core division of Torchwood New York, from which all other divisions and operations extended. It was the division that was closest to the original team Ianto Harkness-Jones had found himself creating when he had taken over Torchwood Cardiff and before he had expanded Torchwood into what it had become.

Dee and J.J. entered the common area for the 27th sector. Both men had to shower and change after the Weevil was secured in the holding cells of the Torchwood NY building. J.J. was dressed in a green and yellow pinstriped waist coat over a yellow silk ruffled shirt, green linen trousers and a black frock coat. Dee had changed into leather pants with brass buckles up the side of his legs. He wore a blue cotton shirt under a black leather double-breasted waistcoat, creating a middle panel with a coarser leather than the smooth buttery leather side panels. He wore no tie, he usually didn’t unless it was necessary and then he would mostly choose a cravat. Dee preferred to wear leather for his work clothes because it felt like armor on him and he believed it to be more durable than cloth for some of the situations he would get himself in. Even as a Director, he was still expected to be out in the field instead of always sitting behind his desk. Dee also had the opinion that he would never ask the men and women under him to do anything that he wouldn’t do himself. He had that opinion even back when he was a cop with the NYPD because of his mentors, the two men who provided him the means to go to university overseas and then later when they recruited him a year after making Junior Detective to Torchwood as a Senior Field Agent for the 27th Sector after going through several months of training in Cardiff. His mentors were Ianto and Jack Harkness-Jones, his two ultimate bosses and heads of the entire Torchwood Institute.

They went into the office that Dee shared with Ryo to find his partner speaking to the Director of Torchwood NY, Berkeley Rose. Dee started to gnash his teeth before loudly interrupting them.

“Hey Rose, how about calling Cardiff and telling them to stop sending us their Weevils!”

Rose turned around to face Dee. “I already had, Laytner and I was told they have no control over where their Rift sends things.” The man, who was from a very rich and influential family both in the US and in Europe, dripped money in his expensive clothes. The fabric of his black brocade waistcoat easily cost ten times the amount that Dee had paid for his entire ensemble he currently wore and that wasn’t cheap. 14k gold chains connected across the waistcoat to similar gold buttons. He wore a white linen shirt, believing in the old tradition that fine gentlemen wore white shirts when looking their finest. His tie was the same brocade material as his waistcoat. He had a black morning coat that was trimmed with the same brocade to match his waistcoat and tie. Rose preferred to wear shoes. Imported black leather shoes were on his feet and there was a small flash of black silk socks. Dee thought the man was not so much traditional as he was safe. His outfits, while horrifically expensive, were always too matched.

As far as Dee was concerned, the man might have been a top notch field agent in his days, taking risks that others on his squads wouldn’t dare, but in everything else in his life he preferred to play it safe with the exception of how he had weaseled his way into the top position for the New York branch. One could not pull the stunt he had shortly after Dee and Ryo had returned from their vacation in England, where they had first encountered the man while both Jack and Ianto were away travelling in the future while when the Director of Torchwood New York had suddenly decided to resign, stating that he was going to be travelling for several years, without covering up the truth.

It had been obvious to both Dee and Ryo that Berkeley Rose had weaseled his way into Torchwood New York only so he could woo Ryo. Dee had noticed that while he tried to get Ryo’s affections, he still played around, unlike Dee who had stayed celibate until he had Ryo as his own and only flirted because it was part of his personality and didn’t mean anything to the one he was flirting with. Ryo had noticed the difference and mentioned it shortly after they had become a couple. There was definitely something wrong with Rose’s sudden promotion and move from Los Angeles. Jack and Ianto also sensed something was off but the bastard had covered his tracks too well and they had no evidence to take action. They could have acted just on their feelings, but Ianto and Jack were good and just leaders and would not do so until they had proof. Dee figured with time, and with Ryo’s help, he would find that proof. Until then he would just play the game.

Rose attempted to make Dee’s life miserable and had even attempted to get him out of Torchwood while attempting to take Ryo as a lover, but no matter what he tried, Dee was never asked to resign his post. More amazing was that until after Dee’s promotion Rose never knew that the two heads of the Torchwood Institute were Dee’s mentors and friends. The man nearly blew a gasket when, after his last attempt to get Dee fired, Ianto and Jack Harkness-Jones had come to New York to personally present Dee and Ryo their promotions. Rose was also warned that the Directors would never approve Dee being fired. Rose had stopped then but still managed to give Dee extra headaches than his job normally would.

Dee sat down behind his desk with a frown. “To be honest, I suspect they were sent to us. And not by the home branch.”

“That could be a possibility,” Ryo supported Dee. Ryo was wearing a striped waistcoat in tones of brown and gold over brown trousers and a beige linen shirt. His tie was brown with gold and copper stripes and he wore brown leather boots. For field work he wore a simple black leather overcoat which was currently hanging on the coatrack by the door.

“But I can’t do anything with conclusive evidence,” Rose stated to the two of them. “Sub-Director Laytner, I expect you will add an investigation into this theory on your list of priorities?”

“Yes sir,” Dee snapped. “As if you needed to tell me.” He glared up at the tall blond who was a few inches taller than him. “Don’t you need to be somewhere else right now? Like soothing the NYPD Commission’s feathers?”

“Yes I do, no thanks to you, Laytner. If you hadn’t cocked up this mission, perhaps the Weevil would have not caused the excessive damage,” Rose remarked, looking down at Dee.

“Yes, of course, sir. It’s my fault that our equipment didn’t pinpoint precisely a moving target,” Dee grumbled. “If you will excuse me, sir, but I have my own clean-up tasks to handle now.”

Rose sneered at the dark haired Sub-Director. “You think you can get away with that attitude because you have ties to the Directors. Well, one day you’ll discover you don’t.” He leaned toward Ryo and gave him a smile. “I do believe that things would run smoother around here with you in charge instead of that one. One day I will make that happen. And please consider my request. Good day, Ryo.” As he headed out of the office, he added, “Goodbye Laytner,” without even casting a glance in Dee’s direction.

Once the door was closed, Dee slammed his hand on the surface of his ornate oak desk. “One day I’m going to prove how he weaseled his way into command of our branch and why. Then it will be good-bye to him.”

Ryo sighed. “Dee, Jack and Ianto already are aware of it, but they have to be cautious since you were a friend of Ianto’s since you were 15 and now you are in charge of our sector.”

“I know,” Dee grumped. “I know.” He turned to pull open a sliding copper door on the unit to his left which revealed his computer terminal.

“At least you know all of Rose’s threats won’t be carried out, Dee,” J.J. added.

“He has a point,” Ryo pointed out. “And we all know you didn’t cock up this mission. Ianto always takes your reports over Rose’s anyway whenever there are contrasts in the two reports.”

“Well, Rose needs to go up to his nice penthouse office and concentrate on letting those under him handle their jobs,” Dee said. He had logged in as they spoke and he was looking over his messages. “Speaking of which, the Badger wants a conference with all involved squads on the Weevil incident in an hour.”

Ryo glanced at the time on the copper wall clock and sighed. “I’m going to have to let Bikky know we’ll be late tonight.”

“We’ll pick up take-out on the way home,” Dee assured him. “Tell him to head over to my place.”

“What makes you think I won’t be going back to mine and without you?” Ryo asked, looking annoyed.

“Who would want to when they can spend the night with Captain Hunk here?” J.J. asked, casting moon eyes at Dee, who ignored him.

“First of all, J.J.,” Ryo started. “I’m the one with the rank of Captain around here. Second, why are you loitering here instead of with the rest of the squad working on your report?”

Dee turned around to face Ryo. “Because he’s working with me on a combined report, since we were both first on scene.”

 

OoOoOoO

 

Ryo had to nod in agreement with Dee’s logic even if he did not like the small violet hair weapons expert being in their office and staring at Dee with lovesick eyes. He had enough of it with Director Berkeley Rose giving him the predatory eyes during his time in their office. “Fine.”

“Also Ryo, I just assumed we’d be spending the night together because we have been every night except for when duty called for the last three months.”

Ryo suddenly looked thoughtful. “Oh. Yeah, that’s about right.” He shook his head with amazement as J.J. looked crestfallen. Ryo knew it was wrong but he could not help but smirk, secretly taking pleasure in the mostly human man being around to hear that revelation. “Okay, I’ll give Bikky a call and have him go over to yours.”

“And tell him no hologames until all of his homework is done.”

Ryo laughed as he picked up the receiver of the phone on his desk and dialed in the number which went directly to his adopted son’s comm unit that Bikky wore as a band on his arm. Dee had his gaming center programmed to log times it was in use. Many times he used it just to track how many hours it would  
take them to complete a match or when one was playing, a level, but he also used it to assure Bikky was not using it when he was not authorized to, meaning while he still had school or school work to do.

“Hey Biks? Where are you? No need to go there. It’s all cleaned up now and nothing to see,” he warned his son upon hearing he was in the vicinity of their Weevil chase. “However this incident does mean we’ll be tied up here for a couple of extra hours. Do you have homework? Don’t lie, Bikky. That’s better. I want you to head over to Dee’s flat and get your homework done. After you’re finished, you can play some games. We’ll have dinner with us when we get there. Yes, we are spending the night there. No you don’t have to go home first because you have clothes in your room at Dee’s.” Another epiphany struck Ryo as he spoke. “I’ll see you later. I love you, Biks.” He snorted and as he hung up the received added, “I know you love me too.”

“Brat,” Dee chuckled.

When Ryo looked over to him, Dee also had a thoughtful look on his face, along with a grin.

 

OoOoOoO

 

“Hey Dee?” Ryo asked.

“Yeah Ryo?”

“Since when does Bikky have his own room at yours and some of his clothes?”

“Well, last year I set up one of my guest rooms so it was more of a boy’s bedroom since Bikky spends a lot of nights in my place. Then I think in the last month or so, you started to bring some of his clothes around and bought some new things to keep there so he wouldn’t have to go back to yours if needed. That’s also why half of my closet has your clothes in it.”

Ryo sat back in his chair while J.J., who had pulled a chair from in front of Dee’s desk to sit next to Dee, hung his head. “Wow. Hmm.”

“Wow. Hm?” Dee asked. “Is that all you have to say about this?” He frowned as he realized J.J.’s chair was right next to his and the smaller man was starting to lean over so his chest rested on Dee’s back. He pushed J.J. off. “Hey! I didn’t ask you to sit in my lap, J.J.! Get that chair back where it belongs and sit on the other side of my desk!” He kicked out for good measure, making the chair which had wheels go rolling away from him.

Ryo chuckled. “Back off, J.J. Dee’s taken,” he stated in warning.

“And very happily so,” Dee added, watching as J.J. moved the chair around the desk without standing up.

“Dee, I think we need to talk about this more tonight. I also think at some point Bikky should also be involved,” Ryo stated.

Dee’s smile grew as his dark green eyes glittered. “If you’re thinking what I hope you are, then I agree.”

“I’m pretty certain we are,” Ryo replied.

“By the way, Ryo. How did you get back so soon?” Dee asked.

“The others had it well in hand,” Ryo replied. “So I decided to come back here to better oversee operations.”

Dee nodded as he started to work on his report. “Good call,” he stated with a smile.

“Oh Dee?” Ryo called from his desk, making Dee stop working and look over to Ryo again with a raised eyebrow. “I love the change of clothes.” He smiled at Dee.

“Thanks,” Dee said, returning the smile full of love.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

 

Warren Smith, the heavyset Director of Field Operations of which the 27th Sector was under, stood before the assembled squads involved in that afternoon’s incident in Torchwood NY’s assembly hall on the 25th floor of the Torchwood building. He wore an ill-fitted gray pinstriped hip-length waistcoat over a white cotton shirt. His trousers matched his waistcoat. He wore no jacket or coat and his shirt sleeves were rolled. His shoes were gray and black leather. His title was Director Smith, but since his promotion to his current position he preferred to be called Chief.  
  
“That was quite a mess that critter caused today,” he started, clamping down on an unlit cigarette in his mouth. He looked around the front rows until his eyes settled on Dee. “Laytner, I’m going to have you kick this off since it’s under the 27th’s jurisdiction.”  
  
Dee, who was leaning back in his seat in the front row with his feet stretched out and his arms crossed, rolled his eyes. He leaned over to Ryo to say, “It’s always under the 27th’s jurisdiction. That’s what we’re all here for.”  
  
“Care to share something with the rest of us, Sub-Director Laytner?” Smith asked, hearing Dee. So did a few others who sat around them.  
  
Dee stood up with a smirk and started toward the slight platform that Smith stood on. “I was saying to my Second there that it’s always under the 27th’s jurisdiction.” He turned to face the assembled squads and grinned. “After all, that’s what we’re all here for.”  
  
Smith had to agree with Dee. He was usually hard on Dee and pushed him more than needed, but that was because as good as Dee was at what he did, Smith knew there was more that Dee could give. More than most of the others in that room could. He pushed Dee more than the two main Directors would, but that was because they saw Dee as a friend, younger brother and sometimes son. They went easy on him where Warren Smith did not, but Smith could say he never for a moment questioned Ianto’s and Jack’s decision to promote Dee to head the 27th Sector when Smith was promoted. He had even sent in his own recommendation that he believed that Dee was ready for promotion and that Ryo would be the logical choice to be Dee’s Second. Dee had always been the best in what he had done since joining Torchwood, but he did have some bad habits that could have held him back. It was after Ryo came to the 27th Sector that Dee had started to change for the better. The two made a great team, and it seemed to be a lasting one now that Laytner and MacLean were a couple.  
  
Dee Laytner had potential to go very far, despite his start on life. Smith knew Dee’s background. It was on record for all his supervisors to review. Dee was found by a Torchwood field agent from the 27th Sector on a Rift alert. When Jess Latener arrived at the location he found a two month old baby boy in a baby holder that could only come from the future. He confirmed the location and that what he was looking for appeared to be human and small. He brought the baby back to Torchwood, where tests were conducted. The baby was saturated with Rift energy which confirmed he was what had come through the Rift. The tests that said he was mostly human and possibly had come from somewhere in future which explained the odd carrier the baby was in.   
  
Under the blanket they had found a handwritten note which was in Galactic Standard saying, “Keep my baby safe. His name is D---“. Whoever, most likely a parent, had written the note apparently ran out of time from whatever and never had the time to finish writing the baby’s name. By the time the baby was taken to Maria Lane’s Children’s Home, everyone was calling him Dee. The name stuck when Maria filed the paperwork to be sent over to Cardiff. For lack of a last name, which Maria needed to file paperwork which would make the baby a citizen of New York City, she followed procedure for such situations. She rearranged the name of the person who found the baby. She believed it was a bit exotic to change the name Latener into Laytner. Exotic seemed to fit the baby boy who she was told was from the future, along with his olive tone complexion, near black hair and unusual dark green eyes. There was no hope that Dee would ever find his way home so she filed everything the child would need through life to have a place that he belonged.  
  
Smith sat down as Dee started to explain the situation from when they had gotten the alert.   
  
“For those of you who haven’t been around the last three weeks or were lucky enough not to encounter this type of alien before,” Dee explained, “the alien is called a Weevil. It’s what they were named by Cardiff way back when they first started to appear. What their race is really called we don’t know. Studies and attempts at communication have been conducted. Dr. Owen Harper from Torchwood Cardiff has been studying them for years and while he has notebooks filled with observations, he’s not close to communicating with them. The Cardiff branch continues to observe and attempt to communicate with them, obviously with no luck yet.  
  
“Weevils prefer to live underground. The sewers of Cardiff have been infested with them for centuries. It’s only in the last few weeks that we’ve been getting sightings of the Weevils. So far we have been able to capture only three, mostly because by the time a field team arrives at the location a Rift spike had occurred, they already have gone underground and no trace to track them. Our systems can only guess at how many come through a Rift event. I can tell you that we did detect more than one this afternoon, but by the time we arrived we only found the one and it was about ten blocks away from the location of the Rift spike.  
  
“Based on Cardiff’s reports on Weevils, as well as my own experience dealing with them during my time spent in Cardiff, I can tell you that Weevils can be dangerous, especially when they sense they are threatened. In a Weevil’s case, threatening equals being approached. Also according to studies, they can be vengeful. Weevils tend to run in packs and when one in a pack is harmed, especially if it is a mate or child, the others will go looking for revenge. Unlike humans and other intelligent beings, where we look for the actual person responsible, Weevils will lash out at any being in its vicinity. We’re lucky we had no casualties are a result of a direct Weevil attack, considering how crowded the streets were.” Dee looked over to Ryo and nodded ever so slightly.  
  
His partner stood up and joined Dee at the platform, already speaking. “So far it appears the Weevils we encountered were scared and confused. Coming through the Rift can do that to the best of beings,” Ryo said. He faced the rest of the room. “But we also suspect that we have others who are underground. They’ll have time to adjust and adapt and eventually will find their ways up to the streets, usually at night. We fear then we will start getting calls of sightings or hear of attacks. We’ll have to step in to investigate. Torchwood medical divisions will have to step up to care for survivors, just as they do for Rift victims when needed. We will have to work closer with the local police, possibly train them if they should be the first on scene of a Weevil attack with one still in the area. They will have to hold their own until one of our teams can arrive on scene to take control of the situation.” He paused as Drake raised his hand, looking concerned. “Yes Drake?”  
  
Drake stood up. He wore a gray workshirt and black trousers, along with black leather braces. Like Smith, he had his shirt sleeves rolled up. “The NYPD made it quite clear that if it’s alien, it’s ours. They claim they don’t have the resources to train the coppers on dealing with other beings not human and want to leave it to the experts to handle.”  
  
  
OoOoOoO  
  
  
Dee nodded his head in agreement, the look on his face showing his distaste for that attitude. It was that attitude that left Dee feeling unfulfilled during his three years with the NYPD before he was offered a chance to become field agent in the 27th Sector. He had jumped at the chance and never regretted it. What he loved about Torchwood was that assistance was offered to humans as well as aliens. Back when Dee thought he had wanted to be a cop, he found he wanted to help everyone. Having spent time in Cardiff and with Jack and Ianto, Dee had much experience with helping out aliens and found it frustrating when he was to do the absolute minimum until someone from Torchwood arrived. He had gotten in trouble for doing more than he was expected. Even if he had managed to make Junior Detective in near record time, he knew he would never have lasted much longer. He only stuck in as long as he had because New York City was an expensive city and he did not want to take money from Maria, even if she assured him she was able to. Dee always had felt extra money given to him as an adult was money taken from children in the home who needed it more, and nothing his mother said would make him change his mind. He would have felt the same had he been Maria’s biological son.   
  
“That’s true,” Dee answered, “but the NYPD will need to understand that this is only to protect their own, as well as protect and serve civilians until Torchwood can step in. Based on cases from Cardiff, in the time a team can be dispatched from here, there can be a lot of death and injury, no matter how fast we can respond. And I believe everyone can agree that even one injury is too many.”  
  
Heads around the hall nodded with agreement as murmuring started.  
  
“It’s true that training at least street patrols on how to handle Weevils is needed,” Ryo said, “But Dee and I suggest that we dispatch our own patrols in Manhattan. At least have a patrol team close enough to arrive within minutes from anywhere in Manhattan, which so far the Weevil appearances have been isolated to.”  
  
“Are we in the belief that Manhattan will remain isolated?” Smith asked both men with him. Dee knew he already knew the answer but wanted it answered to the assembled squads because it appeared no one other than Dee and Ryo were thinking about it. Even Smith did not until both men came to his office the week before with that concern.   
  
“No,” Dee answered. “Unfortunately we aren’t. New York’s sewer system is extensive throughout the entire city and Weevils are perfectly capable of getting around on foot. We also have the subway tunnels, which concerns us.” Dee glanced over to Ryo as Smith nodded his head as he folded his arms.  
  
Dee paused and watched as realization of just how bad the potential of Weevil attacks can be showed on the faces of everyone in the room. Some were starting to frown, while others looked concerned.  
  
“This could be a bad situation,” J.J. piped up. He had his first experience with a Weevil even if he belonged to the core squad of the 27th Sector because he had been on vacation in Los Angeles, where he had grown up before his family moved to New York City. He still had some friends and family in California and liked to visit at least once a year. He stayed in Los Angeles for two weeks and he spent 10 days total in travel time via airship. It would take longer by other means. Thankfully Torchwood was generous with their leave time, believing agents needed the time for their mental and physical well-being. JJ had also taken advantage of Torchwood’s space available travel. Being in the core squad and working directly with the 27th Sector’s Director and Second as partners gave him some preferred treatment with Torchwood benefits. “If a Weevil finds itself in a crowded subway station….” He did not finish his statement and shivered instead.  
  
“Exactly,” Dee said. “Ryo and I thought about that too. While we expect Weevil sightings on the surface to be mostly limited to the dark hours, subways are dark enough that they would be encouraged to enter tracks and even stations. Not only are attacks in stations possible, but if a Weevil is on the tracks when a train is coming by can be a very bad situation.”  
  
“You have had experience with these Weevil things before now?” a woman asked Dee.  
  
Dee looked out to the speaker. Not everyone in the room had been to Cardiff. From what Dee knew from the personnel files he had read, very few in the 27th Sector had ever been to Cardiff. Very few had gone through training other than the program Torchwood New York offered. It was only because Ianto and Jack preferred for Dee to be trained by those who were screened and trained by The Directors themselves that Dee had been trained in Cardiff. Going through training in Cardiff when you were to be assigned elsewhere is much like Officer boot camp for the military. Those who were trained in Cardiff and assigned to other branches were already determined to eventually become leaders within the organization. Between training in Cardiff with his completion scores and his experience with the NYPD, he came to the 27th Sector as a Senior Field Agent and assigned to an elite squad in the Investigations division.  
  
“Yes, I have. I had my first encounter with a Weevil when I was sixteen while shopping with friends at St. David’s Market in Cardiff. It wasn’t my first time hearing of them thankfully. I knew enough how to take evasive action and make sure Torchwood was called.”  
  
Dee thought back to the summer he was sixteen and had been invited to spend a month in Cardiff with Jack and Ianto Harkness-Jones. They had taken interest in Dee when he was fifteen and he had given a statement to the Torchwood team assigned to the investigation that had broken an alien contraband ring which included selling illegal tech, alien drugs and also had alien slave trade and prostitution under their belts. It was because of that ring that he had lost one of his best friends. He also had lost the man Dee called his father. After having a good long soul searching talk with Maria after he lost Jess, he had decided the right thing was to tell everything, even if it had tarnished Jess’s name. Dee had discovered on the day he had lost the only father figure he had in life up to then that Jess had been a half-assed field agent, but even to this day in his heart he always felt that the man had been a great father. He had many happy memories of Jess going back as far back as he could remember. What had happened and what he had done after did not change that, especially since Jess was killed protecting Dee, who had stuck his nose where a 15 year old had no right putting it.   
  
Shortly after, Jack and Ianto had come to New York to speak to Dee. They had appreciated what he had done and were amazed as well. They also were concerned since the main ring leader, a big alien who was able to pass as human, was the only one Torchwood was not able to apprehend and had disappeared from the radar. They were worried that one day he might return to get revenge on Dee, so they decided to take an active interest in him. He later found out there were agents assigned to watching after him. After they returned to Cardiff, Jack and Ianto regularly communicated with him, checking how he was doing, offered to lend an ear that was best for another male to hear instead of his mother. Jack and Ianto pretty much stepped in as the new father-figures in Dee’s life. Dee had never thought of them as fathers like he had with Jess. They were more like older brothers and mentors. By the time the invitation arrived to go to Cardiff during summer vacation, Dee was not surprised. He had already expressed many times his desire to see the city the two men spoke of and called home. Since then Dee had spent enough time in Cardiff to know how to handle Weevils long before he had entered Field Agent training.  
  
He looked over to his Second as he added, “Ryo also has previous experience with Weevils.”  
  
“My parents’ business had a branch in Cardiff, mostly because they had to get their license through Torchwood Cardiff to trade alien and future art. Growing up I spent two to six months a year in Cardiff and saw a Weevil when I was very young. You also hear things living in Cardiff so you pretty much get to know about them. That wasn’t my only time I saw one. I also was trained as a field agent in Cardiff and got to deal first-hand with them,” Ryo replied.  
  
Chief Smith stood up. “I heard about Weevils but the first time I saw one was when we locked the first one up down in the holding area.” His gaze went to J.J., Drake, Ted and Marty Martinson who also worked directly with Dee and Ryo. “Some of you have experience with handling Weevils up-close but most of you have not had the training. We never had the need to train specifically for Weevils until now. Your leaders have agreed with me that we need to amend this.”  
  
“That’s right,” Dee stated. “I know we try to keep your average hours as normal as possible but sometimes we have to ask more of you. This is going to be one of those times. You will get compensation for any additional time over your normal hours for this training.” Dee had to smirk. Smith had approved it, as well as Jack and Ianto when Dee had casually mentioned the idea to his friends during a social call the other day. The only one who did not know of it yet was Director Rose. Dee, Ryo and Smith were all assured that Jack and Ianto would handle Rose themselves and to consider the plan approved.   
  
There were many times when duty called and people did not get home the time they were used to because of some alien-related emergency or investigation and there was no extra compensation for it because it was an agreement they had signed that it was part of the job. While rare, but there were also times when people did not make it home for days when the situation called for it. Working longer hours because of a situation had one’s adrenalin running and they were caught up in something that was the reason they all worked for Torchwood. Also most training was done during work shifts. The need for a complete and extensive training course that would give their people a greater chance of survival was crucial, which meant it could not be any of the half-assed training modules given during the work shift. Ryo also felt that making people stay for long hours outside of their shift would affect moral. By giving them extra compensation for the extra time over the weeks the course would be conducted would keep interest in it. Which would hopefully mean more came out of knowing exactly what they should do and stay alive while limiting civilian casualties while agents were on scene.  
  
“Because we need to make sure we have the best in handling Weevils and work out the logistics for administering the course, it won’t start for at least several weeks. Information will be sent out once we have confirmation on dates,” said Dee. “Until then, I want everyone to remember the general procedures in handling dangerous aliens and to go to the online procedures section and find the material for Weevil handling. It will give you an advantage for those of you who have never dealt with them before. Thankfully the rate we have to deal with Weevils right now means we do have enough experienced field agents to handle it. Work schedules might have to be adjusted somewhat and some temporary reassignments are to be made to assure we have at least one full squad of experience field agents at the ready at all hours. Ryo and I will also extend our hours to contribute as much as we are able until we get more of you trained.”  
  
It wasn’t the first time they had to take measures like this, but it was the first since Dee had taken over the 27th Sector. He had been still new to Torchwood when New York had its first Blowfish problem which had created all sorts of havoc. Anyone who was assigned to first response squads had to go through extensive off-hour training. It did not matter if they had experience or not. It did not matter that Dee had recently completed his training which had including responding to Blowfish incidents. He still had to take the training. Dee had decided that anyone who had experience dealing with Weevils documented in their records would only require a refresher course. He already had Jack and Ianto’s approval, along with their appreciation of the insight.   
  
Berkeley Rose was going to have a meltdown within the next day, and there was nothing he was able to do to Dee or Ryo about it. The only thing the Torchwood NY Director would be able to do was to suck it up.  
  
It was a satisfying thought to Dee.  
  
Dee concluded the conference with the Chief’s approval and watched as everyone started out of the hall.  
  
“Dee, Ryo,” Smith said. “It’s past the end of your shifts and I know your plates just got heavier, so call it a day and get your reports done at the start of your shift tomorrow. Also tell the men in your squad that I’m not expecting reports from them until tomorrow. However that means I want everything well documented.”  
  
“Since when don’t we?” Ryo protested, obviously offended, since he combed through each and every report, Dee’s included, and assured all fixes were completed before Dee filed them for Chief Smith.  
  
“I’m just saying, MacLean. It’s part of my job. Isn’t that right, Laytner?” Smith gave Dee a knowing glance.  
  
“I only do that because I don’t need Ryo up my ass about sloppy reports from our squads,” Dee remarked, which made Smith let out a guffaw.   
  
“Right. Well, good night gentlemen. And don’t stay up too long tonight working on this Weevil situation from home,” Smith stated as he started for the hall doors.  
  
“Night Chief,” Dee said with a laugh.  
  
“Good night, Chief Smith,” said Ryo. He looked at Dee and together they started for the exit door that would let out nearest to the lift to get to their office.  
  
  
OoOoOoO  
  
  
Ryo finally came out of the building noting it was near dark. On a nearby bench facing the Hudson River sat Dee. He had his legs stretched out and crossed and his arms were draped across the top of the bench. He stared out at the river as he smoked a cigarette.  
  
Even with Chief Smith’s dismissal, they still had to tie up loose ends in their work before getting ready to leave. Thankfully Ryo had the foresight to call the Torchwood Café to place their orders for pick-up. Unlike the cafeterias located in the tower where they charged a nominal amount for something that was nutritious but most times unidentifiable, the Torchwood Café was a full charge restaurant that was located on the ground floor of the mansion that served gourmet food, snacks and desserts.  
  
Dee had left not long before Ryo, saying he would meet him in the park. Ryo found Dee just as he expected. With a smile, Ryo walked along the path toward the bench. He came up behind the bench and rested his chin on the top of Dee’s head.  
  
“Anything interesting going on in Jersey?” Ryo asked.  
  
“The usual,” Dee replied. “They wish they were New York.”  
  
Ryo laughed and lifted his head so he could kiss the top of Dee’s. “Do you want to wait here while I get our dinner?”  
  
Dee leaned his head back to smile up at Ryo. “Nah.” He put out his cigarette and stood up. “Let’s get going. I’m tired but we still have something to do tonight.”  
  
“Yes,” Ryo said as watched Dee walk around the bench. He took Dee’s hand and together they started to walk across the grass, taking the direct way. “I think we definitely need to talk between us first before involving Bikky. So I think we should talk after Bikky goes to his room for the night.”  
  
“Or we can call an early night. It’s been quite a day, and that was before the Weevil alert.”  
  
“Yup. Those damn Weevils are a headache.”  
  
“More like a nightmare,” Dee remarked.   
  
As they stated up the granite steps leading to the café’s veranda, Ryo groaned. “I think we need to look more into having sewer searches.”  
  
“It’s going to take a lot of planning,” Dee mused. “And we really need to make sure anyone we send searching for them is fully trained.”  
  
“The first step is to alert the authorities, so they understand about the sewers and what could happen in the subways.”  
  
“I know. I’ve been thinking about it. You know they won’t shut down the subways,” Dee replied as Ryo opened the door to the café and held it for Dee. “They’d be idiots if they do. People should be advised to use caution, but not to stop going about their lives.”  
  
“I understand, and I agree. I’m just worried about the potential of starting a panic,” Ryo replied.  
  
“I am too,” Dee said. “Then again, all we can do is give our suggestions and leave it to the Communications divisions.”  
  
They went up to the counter where the pink-tinged skinned woman with a pony tail of thick silver hair smiled and greeted them by name. “Your order is just about ready,” she assured them. “Please take a seat and I’ll have it out as soon as it’s wrapped.”  
  
“Thanks Arabelle,” Ryo said and watched for a moment as she went to the back, calling out to another person to take over the counter until she returned.  
  
“And you say I flirt?” Dee replied amused.  
  
“What?” Ryo asked turning to face Dee.  
  
Dee led him to the upholstered chairs set up for those waiting for their take-out orders. The café not only did good business during the day but also did better with after shift take-outs. When someone ended up working later than they planned, it was convenient to call in and pick up a warm, delicious meal to take home before leaving the complex. “Dude, you were totally flirting with her,” Dee pointed out. “You always do when she’s here. And she flirts back.”  
  
Ryo laughed as he sat down. “She’s married and I’m with you. It’ll never go any further.”  
  
“I don’t blame her. I mean, look at you.”  
  
“You don’t blame her, huh? Does that mean you blame me?” Ryo asked, struggling to look slightly annoyed.  
  
He held his hands out as if in surrender. “I wouldn’t think of it,” he replied.  
  
Ryo couldn’t help it and he started to laugh.  
  
“I knew you were joking,” Dee replied.  
  
“As I knew you were.”  
  
“True. Kinda hard to pull one over an empath, huh?” Dee asked with a grin.  
  
“It gets extremely hard when there’s two involved,” Ryo added.  
  
“Yup. So what are we having for dinner tonight?”  
  
“Nothing exotic. We do want Bikky to eat too, so I ordered the pot roast platters.”  
  
“Good choice,” Dee said. “Ryo?”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“I know we have lots to think about and plans to come up with, but I think Chief was telling us something when he dismissed us. Once we get home, no more shop talk. At least not until we finish the talk we need to have.”  
  
“You’re right. We’re going to be busy enough over the next few weeks. We’ll probably be home later and not see much of Bikky. Or him of us,” Ryo mused.  
  
“Yeah. Let’s make the best of it before all hell breaks loose,” said Dee.  
  
“And then I think after that, maybe we should look into finally taking some time off.” Ryo stared at Dee, pausing until the other man met his eyes. “As a family.”  
  
Immediately Dee opened his mouth to start to protest about dragging Bikky along, but then he saw Ryo’s face. He heard in Ryo’s tone what he did not say with words. He clamped his mouth shut for a few moments and then he smiled warmly. “Okay. One family vacation – whenever we have this mess under control and then hope something else doesn’t come up.”  
  
“I promise you won’t forget it,” Ryo said with a grin that made Dee want to skip time with Bikky, dinner and the talk.  
  
It was going to be a long night.  
  
OoOoOoO


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Blowfish in an aircar means bad news.

CHAPTER THREE

As Dee operated his private aircar over the Hudson River heading north, Ryo stared out ahead noticing they were almost at Dee’s. Dee was looking up toward their right at the cloud city high above Manhattan with its glistening towering spires and bridges between buildings. Aircars, airbuses and airships all were coming and going various landing areas around the large cloud city. It lit up that area of the sky all through the night, being easily visible even in New Jersey and the Catskill Mountains. In the daylight the city still glistened and glowed making it easy to view but not from the same distances as at night. Upper New York was like an amped up New York City and mostly for entertainment, and it boasted some of the best resorts. The few permanent residence buildings offered the best living accommodations in the city. Most of the owners of businesses in Upper New York chose to live there. Not very many who did not spend most of their time in Upper New York chose to live there and preferred to go up for visits. It was always a fun trip when Ryo went there but he had no desire to live there, preferring to live in the city proper.

“Maybe until we can find time for that vacation, we can get a free night or weekend to take Bikky and Carol up to Upper New York,” Dee said thoughtfully.

Ryo turned his head in Dee’s direction and smiled. Their eyes met before Dee’s moved to pay attention to the other aircar going south along the Hudson River and the zeppelin with a bright colorful balloon with the logo of a major casino in Upper New York that flew westward above them. The double decker gondola was copper and red and easily fit around 30 passengers in comfort. It seemed to be coming from one of the other boroughs or even Long Island. 

“I like that thought, Dee,” Ryo replied. “It’s been a while since we had a family night there.”

Dee chuckled slightly, and Ryo knew he was thinking of the last few times they had a couple of days off and Bikky was to stay at a friend’s house, but even the last time it was just the two of them was too long ago. Ever since the first Weevil alert and they knew they did not round up all the dangerous aliens, Dee and Ryo had been working on the plans behind what they had to say in that meeting. As the Rift continued to deposit more Weevils around Manhattan and they only had a small percentage in their cells, it made it more imperative to draw up drafts of proposals for inter-agency cooperation. The NYPD needed have their patrols trained in case they were around when a Weevil attacked and other agencies had to be able to protect themselves until Torchwood arrived. All of this between other alerts and calls that kept them busy.

Dee started to lower the aircar as they approached his building. It was located in a private park for the residents of the three buildings between 79th and 81st Streets off of Riverside Drive overlooking the Hudson River. Both circular buildings were 20 stories tall and taking up almost a full city block with verandas going around the building at every other floor. Despite their size and shape, the architecture was that of the gothic style of the grand mansions and rowhouses along that area of Riverside Drive. Each building had four domes which were multi-level penthouse flats. With copper frames and iridescent windows, the domes would sparkle in the sunlight, and glow in the evening. One of the domes on the building off 79th Street Dee had called home for the last eight years. Unlike the other tenants occupying the floors below the penthouses that had to use the underground parking if they owned an aircar, Dee had a platform next to his private rooftop garden to park his, just as the other domes had.

As Dee lowered the vehicle onto his platform, Ryo reached behind him to get the brown paper shopping bag with their dinner.

“Home, sweet home,” Dee sighed as he shut down the aircar. “I just hope nothing goes down tonight to drag us back to work.”

“Especially after we decided no work tonight,” Ryo said as he opened the door and got out.

“Exactly.” Dee opened the gate leading to his garden and walked along the path toward the front door. He opened the front door and held it open for Ryo.

“Bikky, are you here?” Ryo called out as he entered.

“Of course he is,” Dee said sounding amused. “We didn’t leave the lights on when we left this morning and I can hear one of my games going.”

As Ryo stepped out of the entryway into the living room, the sounds became louder. “And he most likely can’t hear us.”

Dee snorted as he took the bag from Ryo. “What about I get this on the table while you drag Biks away from holo-time?”

“Thanks, Dee,” Ryo replied. He headed across the room to the archway in the wall which split the living room from the rest of the first level of Dee’s home. 

“Bikky,” Ryo called out in the hall but still no answer. Annoyed he went down the hall, following the sounds until he stood in front of the door to the gameroom. 

He opened the door and found his adopted son battling it out with metal monsters made up of gears. The boy wore a pair of black corduroy trousers and a red pullover shirt with black braces, along with a pair of beat up black runners. Ryo realized that it was time to go shopping with Bikky and get him new shoes.

Coming up behind the boy, he went over to the console and shut the game down.

Bikky jumped and turned in alarm, uttering a curse.

“Language, Bikky,” Ryo warned.

“Oh hi Ryo. I guess you and the moron’s home.”

“Yes, Dee and I are home, Bikky.” It was at that moment it sounded so right Ryo knew he would be giving up the flat he shared with the boy. From the casual way Bikky said it, it was pretty easy to work out that Bikky also considered this place his home. “Dee’s putting dinner out, so go wash up. And make it quick so your dinner is still hot.”

“What are we having?”

“Pot roast, green beans and mashed potatoes.”

“That’s my favorite,” Bikky exclaimed.

“Yes it is. So hurry up. You’re probably hungry by now. I’m sorry we’re so late, Biks.”

“It’s cool, Ryo. I know things are busy at work. Besides, I grabbed a knish from the fridge when I got here.”

“Good. I told Dee it was a good idea to keep some around here. Except you’re lucky there was one left to eat.” Ryo started to walk toward the door with Bikky next to him. “Your homework it done, I assume.”

“Yes. All of it. I finished a half hour ago.”

“I want to see it after dinner.”

Bikky pouted. “You don’t trust me.”

“When it comes to schoolwork, no,” Ryo stated. 

“Aw Ryo!”

“Until you give me reason to think otherwise, that’s my answer.” As they walked down the hall, Ryo said, “So you really like Dee’s games.”

“He has the best!” Bikky exclaimed. “He has programs that no one else has. I guess that’s a benefit of working for Torchwood.” His grin got wider. “And that he knows that hot Japanese chick in Cardiff.”

“If Owen heard you talk about his wife like that….”

“He’d thank me,” Bikky cut in with a smirk.

Ryo sighed. “Yes, you’re right. He would. And then he’d put his fist into your face.”

“You wouldn’t let him,” Bikky exclaimed. He stopped before a door. “I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

“Okay.” Ryo watched as Bikky entered his room, which had a private bathroom. “You could have used the kitchen sink, you know,” he said to the door.

Ryo knew Bikky liked his room here. He liked the games here. He was comfortable taking the snacks or meals Dee left if they worked late. Bikky even called it home.

It might be easier to convince Bikky they were going to be living here full-time with Dee than Ryo thought.

 

OoOoOoO

 

Dee and Ryo walked down the street from where they had left Dee’s aircar. Dee had landed it on an intersection which already was jammed with Torchwood vehicles, along with police who made sure nobody wandered in on the scene.

They found Drake and Ted already there, looking over a black aircar which had gone through a wooden building. 

Ryo pointed out J.J., who was speaking to some very shaken aliens. Dee and Ryo joined Drake and Ted. “So what’s going on here?” Dee asked.

Drake turned to look at Dee, while Ryo made a slow circle around the vehicle. The entire city block was in chaos. Carriages were banged up or overturned, and people were being treated by emergency services. A carriage that had been pulled by a horse was in the middle of the road crushed and the fallen horse being prepared to be removed. A couple of horses ran wild, while the sound of other wild horses could be heard from the nearby streets. 

“This is a disaster,” Ryo uttered, bringing Dee’s attention from the destruction on the street to the vehicle.

“Blowfish,” Ted replied with a snort. “Got its scaly hands on an aircar from uptown and crash landed it here.”

Drake sighed. “According to the few witnesses on the street, it just dropped from the sky onto that carriage there. It skidded off and continued to skid out of control until it came to a stop here.” He pointed down at the vehicle.

“Casualties?” Ryo asked.

“Plenty,” J.J. replied coming over to join them.

Dee looked down the street and then back down at the stolen aircar. “How many humans?” he asked.

“None. At this time of the night, in this neighborhood, humans mostly stick to the main street,” J.J. answered.

“So this one is all ours then,” Dee stated.

“All alien, yes. The NYPD is helping with keeping the curious away. We have a team assisting them,” Ted said.

Dee looked at his men present on the scene. Drake and Ted were dressed in linen shirts, waistcoats and overcoats, which was their normal wear for work. J.J. usually was conscientious in his clothes, much like Ryo, but also like Ryo, J.J. was more casually dressed. He wore a jumper over a pair of black denim under his overcoat. Dee was also dressed casually but he had his coat closed. He was a more casual dresser than Ryo and J.J., but he was vain enough to make sure he always looked good in whatever he wore. It was even more important for him in his position to wear clothes that oozed authority when he was on duty. 

“So what were you two doing working at this time?” Dee asked, crossing his arms, his steady gaze on the two men.

“Oh, um, Drake called me in,” Ted replied.

“Oh?” asked Dee, his attention solely on Drake.

“I had an idea about the Weevils and the subway, but since I’m crap at computers, I convinced Ted to come in and give me a hand. I was hoping we’d have a preliminary report by the time you got in today,” Drake replied, “but then this happened.”

Dee raised an eyebrow and then grinned at Drake. “I’m up to any and all suggestions. After we’re done here, unfortunately. Hey, do we have the Blowfish responsible?”

The other three nodded their heads. “Yes,” J.J. replied.

“More or less,” said Drake.

“More or less?” Ryo asked.

“Let’s just say it pissed off someone in the family whose home it crashed into,” J.J. said. “They ended up scaling it with a laser gun.”

Ryo’s eyebrows rose. “Are we doing anything about the laser gun?”

“Yup, but we’re also trying not to make them feel like the criminals here. I mean, they are homeless right now,” Drake said.

Dee nodded his head. “We can’t overlook that certain weapons are illegal but we’ll make sure the rest of the family is taken care of. I can’t make promises for whoever shot off the gun. Get the family settled in a safehouse, then finish getting their statements. Ryo and I will escort the laser happy family member. He may or may not join the family later. And of course, let us know if they feel they want to file any complaints with the Off-World Consulate.”

“Roger that,” Drake replied.

“Care to point out the laser-happy Rymorian?” Ryo asked.

“He’s still with his family. He has a wife and a litter of hysterical children. They’re keeping him busy enough,” said Drake, pointing out the man who was comforting his family. 

“Let’s go get them settled,” Ryo said with a sigh. “I do hate having to separate them.”

“Transport them together, I guess,” Dee replied, watching the scene in front of him. 

“Change of plans, boss?” Drake asked.

“Yes. It’s our duty to protect the alien citizens of this city, and that poor family needs protecting. If it makes them feel safe after having their home destroyed, then he can stay a little longer with them before we take him for interrogation,” Dee decided.

Ryo had to agree. If he was in the father’s place, even if he was in the wrong, he’d want to make sure his family was okay first. The man wasn’t dangerous; at least Ryo didn’t think so. Ryo knew how he could get when Dee or Bikky was threatened, or even Carol or his aunt and uncle and Mother. He certainly knew how Dee could get. He took a step closer to Dee, standing right behind him and a little to Dee’s left.

“Dee and I probably should check with the other squads first anyway,” Ryo spoke up. When Dee turned his head in Ryo’s direction, Ryo continued, “Whenever we’re done here, we’ll collect the father for questioning.”

Dee nodded and winked at Ryo, making him smile. “What Ryo said. I take it you already confiscated the weapon?”

“J.J. has it locked up,” Drake replied, “We’ll place it in evidence storage for now.”

“Good. Well then, you and Ted escort them to a suite in the tower,” Dee said. “J.J. will stay with us for now.”

“Right.”

 

OoOoOoO

 

It was in the early hours before Dee and Ryo found themselves entering the 27th Sector. They had the body of the Blowfish in the Torchwood morgue and the crashed aircar impounded until the owner was located. Until then, they had a team go through the vehicle.

It was very likely they would never know why the Blowfish stole the vehicle but they could take a good guess. Blowfish tended to do wild and dangerous things because it was fun. Fun for Blowfish usually amounted to not good for them or for anyone else who had the misfortune to be in the area.

Like the family that was now homeless along with several others who were on Avenue C between 9th and 10th Streets in Alphabet City. It was a bad neighborhood but had many poor aliens who couldn’t afford to live elsewhere in Manhattan. Instead of brick and stone buildings there were rows of wooden houses and tenement buildings. It was no different than other neighborhoods with poor immigrants, only the immigrants in Alphabet City came from other worlds rather than countries on Earth. For many of those living in the neighborhood chose to live there instead of their home worlds. Whatever they faced living on a low income was better than where they had come. 

What Dee, Ryo and J.J. had discovered while speaking to neighbors who knew the displaced family, the father was hard working who had a job in a factory with long hours and had taken odd jobs to keep his family in the tiny apartment. His wife was a housewife, who took care of their seven children. Rymorians, who despite their looking mostly human but with deep burnt red skin and tiny ridges on their foreheads, tended to have litters rather than a single child. He loved his wife and his children and would do anything to protect them. He also would at times take a job to help an elder, be it alien or human, and not charge them. He was quick to help when he could and would pass up taking money from someone he felt could use the money better, like to feed their own family.

Dee and Ryo had already agreed they could not fault the man for dealing with the Blowfish who crashed an aircar into their tiny but neat flat and were going to report he acted out of self-defense. The man’s only crime was owning an unregistered and illegal weapon and using it. Thankfully it was Dee’s decision to make whether the man would have to face a jury for his crime, or be under probation by Torchwood. They still had to question him before Dee made his decision official. He did not say much about what he planned to do, but Ryo could tell Dee had a plan. 

There were other families in the 10-flat tenement that were also displaced that night because the first inspection of the building declared its structure to be unstable. All tenants in the building were alien, so it was Torchwood’s responsibility to find them temporary housing until a final decision would be made on the building. That decision was not Torchwood’s to make, even if they would provide a couple of engineers to be part of the inspection team. They would be there only to assure there was a fair assessment in the case the tenants would not be able to move back soon or ever. There were some city officials who were prejudiced and did not like the idea of having so many beings from other worlds in the city. Some of them even did not like many of the non-white humans too. Then there were some who had their interests in companies like S-Corp, who bought up older areas of the city little by little until there was enough to raze to build new factories, high income housing and new skyscrapers. 

There was a squad who was working hard at finding temporary places for those displaced families to stay until they were able to move back into the building or find something more permanent to settle into. Other divisions sent squads to comfort and console the families of those injured that evening because of the Blowfish. Another squad was hard at work identifying the now dead Blowfish. 

Dee and Ryo personally took responsibility that the family who had the aircar crash into their flat was settled in, having Ted and Drake in constant contact and an update on which suite the family was settled in the transient section of the Torchwood tower. By the time they finished at the scene and arrived in Torchwood, checking in with all divisions working on the incident, they heard that the family was still awake.

Chief Smith was waiting for them in their office. Dee and Ryo had given him a brief rundown of their activities while Smith briefed them on reports that had come in from the other departments.

“One of the little ones was grazed by the car,” Smith explained when Ryo inquired on the family. “The Hollenswags, as tired as they were, were unable to get rest until their child was patched up and told he would recover. That wasn’t too long ago. I think they are just too wired to sleep.”

Dee and Ryo shared a look which even Smith was able to interpret. “Go on,” he said. “Go check in on the Hollenswags and whatever else you feel you need to be doing. Whenever you’re done, come to my office. Tell your squads involved I want full reports by end of day, unless something else comes up that requires their attention. I already told the other divisions under me the same.”

“Chief, I would like my teams to have some downtime during the day,” Dee requested. “At least the ones who have been called in and been up all night.”

The Chief grumped as he folded his beefy arms. “I suppose you can. Fine. You’re right. We can’t have exhausted people out on a mission, I suppose.”

Dee shrugged and leaned back in his chair behind his large wooden desk. “I’m sure the big bosses won’t mind reports coming in a day or two after,” he said. “Besides, I want to go over all the reports before they are sent off to headquarters.”

“I suppose you’re going to want to help him, MacLean?” Smith asked.

Ryo nodded his head. “Yes. I do.”

“You know Rose will be wanting something by end of today,” Smith pointed out.

Dee indicated the folders with files and this computer. “I think Rose needs to be satisfied with everything that already came in and will continue to until all teams are in.”

“I think you’re right, but you know he’ll feel otherwise,” Ryo said.

“Then Chief can tell Rose to go take it to the Directors,” Dee replied. “If you don’t want to, then I will. After Ryo and I are done running around here.”

“Chief, is Director Rose in yet?”

Smith made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “It doesn’t directly involve him, so what do you think? He’s most likely still getting his beauty rest so he can look good when he speaks to the Lord Mayor later today.”

“He’ll have more than enough to fill in the Lord Mayor with,” Dee remarked. “Meanwhile Ianto and Jack will gladly accept the complete reports whenever we give them after everyone has some well-deserved rest.”

“Rose never worked on a squad that can be on call 24/7,” Smith stated. “He has no idea. I doubt he ever will, even if he likes to stick his nose in places it doesn’t belong and try to get his hands dirty.”

Dee laughed, throwing his head back. “He might have gotten his hands dusty, but that’s it. I’d like to offer him a taste of what we really go through, but I know just what a pain in the ass he’ll be getting in the way of operations.”

Ryo chuckled as he nodded his head. “I have to agree with that, Dee. Best let him play with his toys at the top and leave the real work to us.”

Dee grinned at Ryo. “I really do believe you’ve finally got the hang of this.” He winked and then leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk surface. “Besides, it would put him in close proximity of you for a full shift or more and that just ain’t gonna happen.”

“Listen you two,” Smith said seriously. “I know you have the Directors looking after you, but they do leave our time for a while and you need to be careful because that’s when Rose would strike. He did it before, which is how we ended up with him in charge of Torchwood New York.”

“Yeah, I know,” Dee replied. “But I’m still not going to let him push me around because he still wants to get into Ryo’s pants. And Ryo has gotten very good of not letting Rose make all his not so smooth moves.”

Ryo let out a snort.

“What?”

“Just what you said about no so smooth moves,” Ryo said. “You’re lucky that I actually was attracted to you during those first years, even if I couldn’t admit it to myself then.”

Smith let out a guffaw. “I only saw a little of that, and I do have to agree with that.”

“At least I wasn’t so greasy as he can be,” Dee protested as Smith stood up.

“Do whatever you need to do with your men and women, Laytner, but sometime later this morning let me know what that will be. Even if you call from home.”

Dee was still frowning over the last comments made about when he was chasing after Ryo and did not reply.

“If he doesn’t, then I will, sir,” Ryo called out.

“Thank you, MacLean.”


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dee and Ryo face the father of the alien family of his crime.

  
Thankfully the majority of those who were on the scene were on the night shift and they would continue on until they finished either their shift or work in the field. It was the core teams who were already off duty and called back in that would need the break as soon as it was possible.  
  
The command squad that worked along with Dee and Ryo would be the only ones who usually would be there at least several hours during the day. Dee gave the squad the rest of the day off. He placed them on call, but only for a situation in which their team was needed to be present. Dee certainly hoped not. Two big incidents in two days was not the norm for their team. Before he left his office with Ryo, Dee made sure a primary squad who was on duty that day was designated to be the response team. Only anything outside the normal for the 27th Sector did Dee want to be informed of. Then he would determine if he had to be there and possibly call in the rest of the team. Otherwise, he expected reports on his desk by the next morning on anything incidents that occurred during the day.  
  
Dee and Ryo had one more stop within the Torchwood tower before leaving for the day. They went down to the transient housing section and stopped before a door that had two guards stationed before it.  
  
Dee frowned as he gazed at the two burly guards Torchwood security uniforms. They wore dark blue course leather jackets that fastened on the left side with heavy red crew shirts under. Pantaloons in a softer embossed leather had red stripes going down the sides which were tucked into shiny black boots that buckled up the sides with small brass buckles. They had small copper laser guns holstered on shiny wide black belts at their waists. Dee was about to say something but a simple touch of his hand by Ryo reminded him that at the moment the guards were necessity. The man in the suite with his family had a choice of either being there under guard or down in the cells. When Dee had decided to allow the man to stay with his traumatised family, it became protocol that the guards would be posted outside the suite they were settled in.   
  
“I wish to speak to the prisoner,” he said instead to the guards.  
  
One guard started to move aside, while the other stood in his place. “We are under orders from Director Rose not to allow anyone inside.”  
  
“That might be true, but I hardly doubt that includes Director Laytner and myself from conducting our investigation. After all, his crimes along with the well-being of the family falls under our jurisdiction,” Ryo stated.  
  
The stubborn guard looked undecided when Dee spoke up. “I have orders higher than Rose for us to do what we must now.”  
  
“Oh, and who would that be?” the suspicious guard asked.  
  
Dee held out a wood and brass handheld comm unit. “Directors Ianto and Jack Harkness-Jones. You may contact them now, if you need proof.”  
  
The other guard said, “Harvey, Director Laytner is a protégé of The Directors. I believe him.”  
  
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” the stubborn one, Harvey, said. “Besides word has it, if he doesn’t already have permission, The Directors will give it to him anyway.” He stepped aside. “Go on in, Director.” He did not look happy and it most likely had to do with having to go against his superior’s orders, but not having a choice.  
  
“Thank you,” said Dee as he went up to the door and pushed a button on the plate next to the door. Ryo stood just behind him.  
  
The door opened and Mrs. Hollenswag looked at Dee with her large golden eyes. The woman was dressed in a pale brown plaid dress with a long skirt that looked like it had seen better days. She wore a brown worn corset that cinched her waist, making it look smaller and her already ample hips slightly wider. The front ties on her corset was frayed, and the boning was starting to show through small gaps in the surrounding material. Her thick long burgundy hair was pulled into a bun that held with two plain wooden chopsticks. She looked like she had been crying and her lovely face showed signs of stress. “Oh Director Laytner,” she exclaimed. She looked concerned but also genuinely pleasant.  
  
“Good evening, Mrs. Hollenswag,” Dee greeted, bowing slightly. “May we come in?”  
  
“Of course, kind sir.” She opened the door more and stepped aside while Dee and Ryo entered.  
  
“How is your little one?” Ryo inquired as she closed the door.  
  
“Much better, thank you, because of your medics. We were quite worried there for a while. We didn’t realize how badly Bradley was injured with everything going on back then. It was only on the way here did we realize it was more than just a graze. Your fine agents took us to your emergency medical ward first.”  
  
“I understand with your physiology, injuries can cause internal bruising while no evidence of external injury,” Dee remarked.  
  
“Yes, that is true. Which is also why we did not notice immediately. However, both Rollie and I should have known better and watched all the children closer. Your medics also checked out all our little ones and everything is fine now.” She started to wring her hands nervously. “We should have noticed sooner, but all the children were upset and crying. We did not know Bradley was hit. The children were supposed to be sleeping but they were playing while my husband and I were sleeping. It was a good thing too or else it would have been worse,” Mrs. Hollenswag explained. She took a deep breath. “Please have a seat. My husband is with the children in the other room.”  
  
“You had quite a small flat for a family your size,” Dee stated as he took a seat on the settee. Ryo sat next to him.  
  
“It was all we can afford. My husband works hard and yet that was all we were able to afford. I would work too but the cost for caring for the children while I work would be more than I would be able to make. It may be small but I made it a nice home to live in and we were all closer for it.” Tears came to her eyes. “And now it’s all gone.”  
  
“You won’t be able to move in there,” Dee affirmed, “but we have teams working on salvage. Whatever they remove from there will be sent to you.”  
  
“It’s going to be hard to find another place. Finding something we can afford is hard in New York. I suppose we can sign up for public housing, but I heard it would take months and sometimes up to years before a place opens,” Mrs. Hollenswag stated. “I was told that we can stay here for a couple of weeks, by your command, and for that we are grateful. At least we have that much.” She looked over to Dee and Ryo. “I’m just afraid we’ll get spoiled by then since this suite is double what we are used to.”  
  
Ryo chuckled as Dee smiled. “Mrs. Hollenswag, you do realize we are here to speak to your husband?” Dee asked, attempting to look serious.  
  
“Yes. He’s going to prison, isn’t he? I don’t know what we’re going to do if he is in prison, but I also do understand he broke the law. Director Laytner, he only got the weapon for protection. Alphabet City is not safe and Rollie only wanted to protect what we had, including the children.”  
  
“It’s not so much that he had the weapon,” Ryo explained. “We might have been able to overlook that but he killed with it. Even if it could possibly be argued that it was justified.”  
  
“There was only one setting and that was to kill,” Mrs. Hollenswag said.  
  
“We know. We did inspect the weapon in question and had to have it placed as evidence against your husband, ma’am,” Dee said. “Had he shot and killed the offending Blowfish with a legal registered weapon, we could have put it down as self-defence and be done with it. However, it also would have meant that at some point you and your husband will have to find another flat too small for your family again, which you already said would be a hard task.”  
  
“What do you mean, Director Laytner?”  
  
“Mrs. Hollenswag, may we speak to your husband now?” Ryo asked.  
  
The woman looked sad as she nodded her head. “I know you have to do what you will. I’m sorry for my husband’s crime, but I know that’s not enough. I’ll be right back.”  
  
Dee and Ryo sat and waited while she went into the room that was set up as a bunkroom but pleasantly designed which was thought to be good for the children. A few minutes later Rollie Hollenswag entered the sitting room, while his wife remained with the children.  
  
“Director Laytner,” Hollenswag greeted, “Sub Director MacLean. I want to thank you for putting up my family in these most generous accommodations for the time being. I’m glad you do not see them as the criminals.”  
  
“Well, as far as the main incident is concerned, you all are victims. That also includes anyone else housed in that building, but being that it was your flat the car went into, your family is the most affected. Which means you get our best accommodations until your family gets back on their feet,” Ryo said.  
  
“Mr. Hollenswag, we have some questions to ask,” Dee stated. “And then I’m afraid judgment has already been passed.”   
  
“Because of the weapon I had?”  
  
“Because you killed with it,” Dee corrected.  
  
“I was only protecting my family!” Hollenswag insisted.  
  
“We understand, but why didn’t you just get a legal weapon and register it?” the alien asked.  
  
“Because I couldn’t afford it. It was too much for me and I needed some protection for my family.”  
  
“And this came affordable?” Dee asked amazed. “I can tell you that on the black market, a laser gun is worth much more than your average gun is sold in any authorized dealer.”  
  
“It wasn’t so much the black market as it was a woman,” Hollenswag explained. “Word of mouth went around the neighbourhood that there was a woman who had advanced weapons that she sold at a fraction of the price of legal guns. Many families in Alphabet City own them. Even selling cheap, I’m sure she made quite a good chunk of money.”  
  
Ryo and Dee looked at each other. “A woman selling advanced laser guns cheap to those in the slums,” Dee surmised. “I wonder if Alphabet City is the only neighbourhood?”  
  
“I can’t tell you. I only know that almost everyone I know has dealt with the her and word has it many others I do not know.”  
  
Ryo had his pad out and was writing down what they were told, making notes to further investigate.  
  
“Would you be able to give us a description of this woman?” Ryo asked.  
  
“Yes, I would. She doesn’t have any middlemen. She’s about 5’ 7”, dark brown hair, dark eyes and she has a gap in her upper front teeth.”  
  
Dee sighed. Finding the woman might be possible but the bigger problem was all those beings living in the slums, human and alien, who owned laser guns sold by this woman and how to confiscate the contraband weapons. Dee shuddered, thinking it could come close to invoking Marshall Law to do that.  
  
“So we have all these beings in the city with contraband weapons,” Ryo summed up. “I don’t think we have enough cell space for them even if they are breaking the law.”  
  
Dee nodded with a grimace. “I doubt we have enough city jail space either.” He folded his arms and leaned back in his seat. At least now there was not only a good opening for him to pass on Hollenswag’s sentence, but this new knowledge justified it.  
  
“You are going to have to do time for your crime, Mr. Hollenswag. No way around that,” Dee stated. “However it has fallen under my jurisdiction to decide what your sentence will be.”  
  
“So no judge and no jury?” Hollenswag asked.  
  
“Oh, I can arrange that if you prefer. But that will most likely still find you guilty of operating an illegal weapon and of manslaughter, only because of the weapon you had used. That could mean up to ten years in a state prison. Ten years your family will not have you, and no means of support. Who knows what would happen to your lovely family if that happens? Your wife will have to work, and you already know that to find child care for 7 children will cost her more than what she will bring home in wages. She can apply for aid and public housing but we all know how long that process will take and even then she’ll have much less than you already can provide. I don’t think you want that for your family. Am I correct?” Dee stated.  
  
“I know I was wrong, but I never thought of that at that moment. All I was able to think about was that my family was threatened. That Blowfish had a weapon too and not only did he destroy our home, but I had feared he would start shooting at my family. That’s all that was on my mind when I shot him.”  
  
“I understand completely,” Dee replied. “I would have done the same if my family was threatened. I know the extremes one would take to protect family, which is why I had decided to give your sentence and bypass the system. It is within my power to do so. Not often do I come to this decision. Normally I throw perps to our legal system. But Mr. Hollenswag, I do not believe you to be a perp. You have alerted us to a larger problem than one being who owns contraband. You are a victim of the Blowfish who destroyed your home and nearly killed one of your young children. Your only crime here was the weapon itself you had used. So with that in mind, I declare that your sentence is to work for Torchwood. You won’t see your laser gun again, and for now you will not be issued weapons of any kind during your probation period, which will be determined at another time.”  
  
Hollenswag looked at Dee in confusion. “Excuse me?”  
  
“Rollie Hollenswag,” Ryo started, “you are now the property of Torchwood. You will live your life upholding our standards. You will be an example of what aliens living in New York City should strive to be, especially those living in the slums. And you are also now on our payroll.”  
  
“You are welcome to remain here while a search for housing suitable for your family is conducted. Torchwood will handle the search and your family will be given options from which to choose to make your new home. I assure you it will be much larger than what you lost. Your wages will also be larger than what you are used to take home from all of your jobs,” Dee said. “So what will it be, Rollie Hollenswag? Do you prefer being turned over to the legal system or do you accept my sentence and become Torchwood?”  
  
Hollenswag’s jaw worked a few times before he was able to croak out, “I don’t understand.”  
  
“It’s easy, Mr. Hollenswag,” Ryo said. “We know you’re not a bad person. We already have your background on file. You worked hard taking several jobs to provide what you’re able to for your family. Even poor, you contribute in giving your family a loving environment and always have something to eat on the table, clothes to wear. With your wife, you made a home that may not be much but in where it counts is much more than what many others have. Even though you struggle to provide for your family, you are still quick to give a helping hand and contribute to charity when you can. You are a good citizen and made a bad choice in protection only because you couldn’t afford the legal way. Dee and I have decided you cannot be held at fault for that. So your sentence is to give up all your jobs to work for Torchwood. In return, you get all benefits given to those who work for Torchwood.”  
  
“As I said, I don’t usually make this type of decision, but in most cases the being involved usually has a shady background,” Dee replied. “One of Torchwood’s responsibilities is to help aliens living in New York. Unfortunately we don’t have the resources to give better housing to those living in the slums, but public housing for non-human races is under Torchwood’s jurisdiction and we do try to provide something better, but you do know that the waiting list is longer than units we have available. We hope to get funds to put up more buildings, but we have what we have for now. We also have better housing available for Torchwood staff, but you’ll still have to pay rent. However we have agreements with some landlords to offer our staff housing at a lower rate. All you have to do is agree to joining Torchwood.”  
  
“Yes,” Hollenswag exclaimed. “If it means a chance for something better for my family then I accept. And I never want to put them through what they would have to deal with if I end up in prison.”  
  
Dee smiled. “Good choice, Hollenswag. You’ll have the rest of the week to do whatever you need in order to be ready to work for Torchwood, including giving notice to your other jobs. Whatever our team is able to salvage from your flat will be sent here. Monday morning, you’re to report to my office and I’ll assign you to your new job. The only other provision is that a medic will be here in a couple of hours and inject you with a tracker. This is a necessary precaution so I can assure my superiors that you won’t do a runner on us and I can take those guards away from your door. You will have to remain here under house arrest until then, but your family is able to come and go. Once you have the tracker, you will be able to also. Not that I believe you will run from your family or the opportunities I’m offering you, but I have to give assurances to the Director of Torchwood NY. I hope you understand.”  
  
“It’s not dangerous, is it?”  
  
“No, not at all. All core staff is injected, including Dee and myself,” Ryo assured him.  
  
“Then I accept that too.”  
  
“Wonderful,” Dee exclaimed as he stood up. He held his right hand out toward the Rymorian. As he shook hands with the other man, he said, “Welcome to Torchwood, Rollie Hollenswag. I’m certain you’ll find our hours much better than the ones you’ve been keeping. You’ll have more time to spend with your family.”  
  
“I thank you, Director Laytner. You too, Sub Director MacLean.”   
  
“You’re very welcome,” Ryo said as he also shook hands with Hollenswag. “I’ll see you Monday morning.”  
  
“Be there at 9 am. Give the front desk your name and they’ll escort you up to my office. Now you should continue to comfort your family while we finally get to go home,” Dee said with a smile. “Have a good day, Rollie. I can call you Rollie?”  
  
“Yes, you may and I will certainly have a better day than I thought it would be. Good day, gentlemen.”  
  
Dee and Ryo took leave of their newest employee to head home.  
  
On the way, Ryo called into Chief Smith, informing him of what they had learned about the woman selling contraband to the poor population of New York City. Smith would be the one to share the information with NYPD and the two organizations would have to work together in how to handle all the illegal weapons there was. It would be Rose’s job to work with the mayor’s office in handling the situation. Whatever the plan, it would be up to the 27th Sector to carry it out with the alien population.   
  
By the time they were inside Ryo’s flat, which was closer to the Torchwood tower, both men were too exhausted to worry about the new situation and went to bed. They were both asleep not long after, hoping there would be no situation that needed them on the scene.  
  
OoOoOoO  
  
Ryo awoke hours later to find himself alone in the bed. He sat up and looked around his room. Ryo’s flat was in an elegant Baroque style building on Gramercy Park. It wasn’t as big as Dee’s with only two bedrooms, a lounge and kitchen with a small dining room. The going price for the flat was still more than he could afford on his salary back when he started Torchwood, even if they did pay well. It was in an exclusive neighbourhood in Manhattan, but he also had his parents’ money that his aunt had managed to keep from being frozen with the rest of their assets upon the investigation of his parents’ deaths. He preferred to invest his money but when he saw the flat upon his decision to return to New York City, he fell in love with it and decided he could afford it. When he was flat shopping, he really did not see himself with a family in it, thinking it would be just him for a while and did not want anything larger. The guest room he had intended to be able to offer to his Aunt and Uncle whenever they came into the city. The last thing he would have considered was the guest room being converted into a child’s room for Bikky, but he had no regrets of taking the young boy in and raising him.  
  
Ryo could still remember that day when he was 17 years old. It was almost Christmas and he was anxiously waiting for his parents return from the future, where they had been purchasing more alien art for their business. Ryo was staying in the grand Victorian house that his parents owned in New Rochelle, NY. It was where his parents lived when they were not traveling. They also had a home in Penarth, in the Cardiff area because they did spent a good part of the year there as well between travelling to other worlds in the future. If they left New York with plans of not being more than a month, they usually left Ryo in New York so his schooling would not be interrupted. When they planned to stay longer, they would take Ryo with them. Growing up, he was used to living between New York and Cardiff with some extended visits with his mother’s family in Japan.  
  
He had spoken to his parents when they had arrived back to present day Cardiff the week before. They had told him that they were very pleased with their trip and the purchases, and they had picked up something special for him, as they always did. Their airship was to arrive that day and Ryo had gone right home from school because he had expected his parents to be home. Instead he found his Aunt Elena, who was supposed to be leaving that day for a trip to Spain and not be there. She looked distraught and when she saw Ryo she had pulled him in for a crushing hug. It was then that Ryo had noticed she was crying. The first thing that had come to mind was something had happened to his Uncle Rick. He found himself being rushed to a hospital in Pelham Manor. His parents had arrived at the Pelham Bay International Airship Terminal and had hired a steam carriage to take them home. Ryo discovered that on the road leading into New Rochelle, the carriage was ambushed and his parents, as well as the driver, were shot. By the time they had arrived at the hospital, his parents were gone.  
  
Ryo had found it odd with all the police there. Drugs were found in the carriage, so the police were looking into it. It took them only a day to determine his parents were using their business to smuggle alien drugs along with their alien artefacts. His parents were named criminals and the case was shut, even if they retained his mother’s body for another week before she was released for burial.  
  
It took Ryo several more years to find out once the local police found that the drugs were alien, and that Ryo’s mother was half alien, his parents were automatically named criminals and the police wanted nothing more to do with the case, so they had closed it. Only because not only the drugs were alien, but so was Ryo’s mother. They lived in an area where there were not many aliens, and whatever ones there were, they blended well and did not stand out. That had included his mother, who despite her father’s race coming from another world, it was an advanced human race.   
  
She had passed some of the alien genes onto Ryo, especially his high psi levels, which were normal for his grandfather’s race.  
  
Ryo had always suspected that once the word ‘alien’ came into the mix, the police quickly shut the case without an investigation. The site where his parents were ambushed and Pelham Manor were just outside of Torchwood’s jurisdiction at the time and unless local authorities contacted them for assistance they did not step in. It was only in the last ten years that Torchwood extended its jurisdiction beyond the boundaries of New York City. His parents were named criminals, and Ryo was seen as the son of criminals.  
  
At his father’s grave he swore he would one day uncover the truth and clear his parents’ names. It was what led him to applying to Torchwood. He had hoped that he would be able to use their resources to prove his parents’ innocence. What he did not count on was getting the attention of The Directors and their offering their assistance. However it was just two years after he was transferred to the 27th Sector that he was able to accomplish it and he had Dee’s help. He discovered the awful truth that his parents were gunned down by mistake and the alien drugs were planted to prevent the police from discovering the truth. Instead of watching the man responsible being arrested, or to kill Leo himself (which he had almost done if not for Dee), he ended up holding Leo as the crime lord took his last breath after being gunned down by Leo’s wife. He did come out of the turbulent incident with the truth he was seeking. Ianto and Jack personally made sure his parents’ names were cleared of the crime and released a statement with the truth. Then even ten years later Ianto used Torchwood’s authority to open investigations on the police involved at the time. With Dee, Ianto and Jack at his side, he had watched new laws put into place that reminded everyone outside of the city that Torchwood’s jurisdiction now extended beyond the bounds of the city and justice would be served protecting peaceful aliens.   
  
Ryo had since been able to put his past behind him and concentrate on building a happy life with Dee. The time had come for him to finally leave the flat and move in with Dee. He was yet to decide what to do with his flat. He had the option of selling or to rent it out. He did not have to make any hasty decisions. He had time to ponder and research before making his decision. The only decision he had made was to move even if he did not have the time to sit down with Dee and discuss it. He knew any discussions were just a formality and then the logistics of his moving.  
  
Ryo took note of the time, thinking that Bikky should be coming home from school soon. He got out of bed and grabbing his dressing gown, he found his way into the kitchen, following the scent off fresh coffee and toast to find Dee sitting at the table, in his dressing gown. He had a cup of coffee on a saucer and a small plate with toast on it. Next to the plate was butter and apple butter, which Dee was putting on his toast. He was eating a slice as he stared at his remote computer. The remote had a gorgeous case of copper and brass in ornate designs and when he closed it, the computer looked like an expensive attaché case.  
  
Realizing his partner did not know he was there, Ryo decided to take advantage of the situation and came up behind Dee. He threw his arms around the other man’s neck and nuzzled his ear.   
  
Dee started and dropped the piece of toast onto the plate. He leaned his head back and sighed. “You almost made me drop my toast on my remote and that would have a big mess,” he said.  
  
Ryo grinned. “So punish me,” he whispered in Dee’s ear before nipping it making the other man gasp.  
  
“You need to stop, Ryo, or Bikky will come home and find us on the table. I doubt we’d be able to convince the rugrat on us all moving in together if he did.” Dee leaned his head further back and smirked at Ryo, dark green eyes sparkling.  
  
Ryo let out fake annoyed sigh as he hugged Dee and moved to kiss Dee’s lips. “You’re right.”  
  
As Ryo broke the kiss, Dee gave him a devilish grin. “Of course, if you really don’t want us to move in together, then by all means, let’s go for it on the table.”  
  
Ryo huffed and swapped at Dee’s head. “You deserve to be punished for that. You’re stuck with us, Director Laytner. Me and Bikky. Get used to it.”  
  
“Oh, so I am getting punished then,” Dee laughed.  
  
“Oh? What does that mean?”  
  
“Nothing about you, but stuck with Bikky?” He laughed again. “But I’m sure it’ll go two ways. Besides, the squirt kinda grew on me.”  
  
“If that’s what you want to think,” Ryo remarked, looking amused as he sat down at the table next to Dee, where there was an empty cup and the coffer server waiting. He poured himself coffee.  
  
Dee suddenly looked over to Ryo. “Wait? So you mean you’re in agreement with this?”  
  
Ryo nodded his head and dropped a sugar cube into the coffee. “Once I realized the obvious, I knew my answer. The only issue I can see is what Bikky would think. But I’m going to do everything I can to convince him this will be better for us, because we are moving in with you, Dee.” Ryo studied Dee. “Unless you want to move into my place?”  
  
“How do you feel about giving up yours?” Dee asked in reply.  
  
“It’s nice as a gentlemen’s pad, even if I had acquired a kid along the way. I have no problems moving into yours. In fact, I love yours. So much room there. Something I sometimes wish I had with Bikky, especially on the nights you stay over. At least Bikky’s room in yours is not in close proximity to our room.”  
  
“We have an ‘our’ room?”  
  
“I think whether it’s here or your flat, we’ve had an ‘our’ room for quite a few months now. Which is exactly why the topic of moving in together came up,” Ryo replied.  
  
“Yeah, there’s that,” Dee said with a smile.  
  
“Unless you want to live here?” Ryo asked.  
  
“I do love this place but I don’t really see it as me, but to be honest, wherever you are, I’ll love the place.”  
  
“But if you had a choice, Dee?”  
  
“My flat,” Dee replied.  
  
“Then that’s settled,” Ryo said. “Bikky and I move into your flat.”  
  
“What are you going to do with this place? It is a prime piece of real estate.”  
  
“It is. I’m going to speak to my broker on the pros and cons of selling versus letting out.” Ryo put his coffee down and reached out to take Dee’s hand. “To be honest, I think we both should talk to him. I want your opinions on what I’m going to do. If we’re moving in, then we should do more things like this together.”  
  
“It was your money that bought this place, Ryo. If you want me along, I’ll be there but don’t feel as if you’re not allowed to make that decision yourself.”  
  
“I know I can but I don’t want to. I’m not in a rush. I mean the place is paid off so it won’t be like I’m making monthly payments for here while living with you. To be honest, I think I rather concentrate on getting Bikky on board with plans and then with the move itself. Once we’re settled in, I’ll figure out what to do with this place.”  
  
Dee squeezed Ryo’s hand. “Whatever you feel is best, go ahead with it. And yes, I do want you and Biks to move in with me. The sooner, the better, now that this has been bought up. I was also thinking of changing things up during the move. You know, making it look less like my place and more like ours. So I’m game for suggestions.”  
  
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Ryo replied and then released Dee’s hand to finish his coffee. He stood up and went over to his counter where the toaster was, along with a loaf of bread. “So is that work you were so intent on?”  
  
“Yeah. I realized something when I woke up. We seem to have forgotten the report from the Weevil the other day, so I was contacting everyone saying to enjoy the rest of their time off, because when they return to work I want both reports in from everyone by the end of their next full work day.”  
  
“I’ll help you with compiling them to send up so you’re not stuck working on them until after midnight.”  
  
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Dee closed the lid on his remote and latched it. “So now that work is done, what do you want to do?”  
  
“Have toast,” Ryo replied as he waited for the bread to toast. “As you said, Bikky will be home soon, so after school time until I send him off to do his homework. Then it will be time for us to start making dinner.” Ryo turned his head to look at Dee. “Or I can order take-out and then we can use the time Bikky’s doing his homework to indulge in more interesting things.”  
  
“My vote is Chinese and when it’s about time, we send Biks. I’ll even toss him a delivery tip if he goes.” Dee leaned back in his chair. “Or we can all go out for dinner tonight. It’s been a while, you know. And I think doing more things the three of us just might make the new transition a little smoother hopefully.”  
  
“I like that thought, Dee, but not tonight. Not after the last two days and what we have to look forward to at work. Hell, I don’t see us even having time for moving for a few weeks, at least.”  
  
Dee poured more coffee into his cup after dropping two cubes of sugar. “That’s what I mean. Yes, I understand about wanting to sit at home and just relax, but I don’t see us having a helluva lot of time for Biks either. We need to take advantage of it. Ryo, you need to.”  
  
“Bikky understands, Dee. He knows what we do for a living and truth be told, he’s proud of us. So he understands if keeping people safe means long hours and getting home for sleeping. As long as I make sure he’s fed and he’s studying, then he’s fine. And when we get through this crisis, I can start making up for lost time. Hopefully so will you.”  
  
“Yeah. I’m with you, but remember to feel free to tell me to find something else to do if you want some bonding time just him and you.”  
  
“We’ll both have our bonding time, so don’t fret about that, Dee. We’ll all be fine.”  
  
“If you say so.” They both looked in the direction of the foyer when they heard a door slam. “Speak of the devil,” Dee laughed.  
  
“Gee, do you think Bikky’s home?” Ryo asked.  
  
“Ryo! I’m home!” Bikky announced from the living room.   
  
“We’re in the kitchen, Biks. And what did I tell you about slamming doors?” Ryo called out, making Dee smirk.  
  
“Well if we were in Dee’s place right now, we wouldn’t have that problem,” Bikky remarked as he came into the kitchen. “His doors don’t slam for some reason.”  
  
“It’s called Bikky-proofing,” Dee quipped.  
  
Bikky started to open his mouth with no doubt a smart remark, if Ryo knew his son, so he cut off the boy. “I should have thought about that a long time ago. At least it would be one less thing to yell about.” He gave Bikky a warning glare.  
  
Dee sat back looking confused as he stared at Bikky.  
  
“Hey, what’s wrong with you, perv?”  
  
Dee shook himself and gave the teen a crooked smile. “Nothing. Just wondering what would you say if I suggested we go to my place for the night?”  
  
“Can I play your hologames?” Bikky asked, excited.  
  
“You know the routine, Biks. Homework done and to our satisfaction and yes you can. Providing you join us for some time before you go to bed. I have some new holovids from Japan,” Dee said.  
  
“The anime ones?” the blond teen excitedly asked. He leaned forward toward Dee slightly in interest.  
  
“Yes, there are some new anime ones,” Dee replied, “including new episodes of the ones we’ve been watching.”  
  
“Then I say yes!” Bikky turned to Ryo. “This place is really nice and all that fancy stuff, but Dee’s has the coolest stuff! Can we, Ryo?”  
  
Ryo shared a look with Dee and then cleared his throat. “Bikky, why don’t you go get cleaned up and pack whatever you’ll need for tonight and then start on your homework? We’ll probably pick up dinner on the way to Dee’s.”  
  
“Couldn’t I wait to do my homework once we get there? When I put away my books, I don’t want to have to take them out again tonight.”  
  
“He might have a point,” Dee said tentatively, looking as if he knew his agreeing to the sudden change of plans would cut out their afternoon quickie they had been planning until Bikky arrived home from school. Ryo knew Dee enough to notice it. He also saw by the slight amazement on Dee’s face that he was realizing that getting all three of them under one roof living as a family was more important than an afternoon romp with Ryo. “Maybe it’s best we head out as soon as he’s ready, and he’ll probably get to play games or watch holovids with us after dinner.” Besides there was after Bikky went to his room for the night and then instead of a quick romp, they could take it slow and maybe even go for a second round if they had the energy.  
  
“Hopefully you’re planning on watching the new Japanese stuff,” Bikky commented.  
  
“Biks, I’m on your side here. Don’t screw it up with smartass comments. Besides, what do you think I want to watch now that I have those disks in my possession?” Dee chastised the boy.  
  
Bikky held up his hands. “All right, all right! I’m going into my room.”  
  
“I guess you’re both right, so we’ll be leaving soon. Do you need a snack for now?” Ryo asked.  
  
“Nah. If we’re leaving soon and getting dinner, then I’m good,” Bikky replied and turned to leave the room. “I’ll be ready in ten. Later.”  
  
Once Bikky left the room, Dee looked over to Ryo. “I think we should finish this with Bikky after we have dinner,” he suggested.  
  
Ryo gave Dee a crooked smile. “You are aware you just cock blocked us.”  
  
Dee let out a laugh. “I wouldn’t call it that exactly. Just delayed things until later tonight. Then then we can take as much time as we want. Anyway I’ve discovered that the wait can make it better.”  
  
Ryo groaned. “Dee, I don’t know about you, but with everything going on, I’m starting to wait a little too long.”  
  
“I know. I understand.” Dee took a deep breath and actually looked nervous. “I decided by giving into Bikky’s whims, what we need to discuss with him might be easier. Especially if he was the one who wanted you and him to stay the night at mine.”  
  
Ryo sat back in his chair and started to grin.  
  
“What?” Dee asked, looking more nervous and uncomfortable.  
  
“You passed up sex in hopes of getting Bikky to agree to us moving in with you.”  
  
“Yeah, well. It will be for the best.” Dee shrugged off his discomfort and nerves and leaned over to rest his arms on the table. “I kinda figured with both of us under the same roof, there will be more sex for us.”  
  
Ryo laughed. “That could be true, Torchwood willing, of course.”  
  
“Of course,” Dee agreed, “but any night that I can even just sleep next to you is way better than sleeping alone.”  
  
Ryo suddenly looked serious. “Dee, there’s one thing I realized and I need to know. You do understand that having both me and Bikky under the same roof as you means that you will also be taking full responsibility of Biks.”  
  
“Ryo,” Dee stated, “whether I wanted to or not, whether I was able to admit it or not, I had always taken responsibility for him from day one. You took more because you took him in and he lived with you for all these years.”  
  
“That’s true. Yes, I do know that you were always there when he needed you, despite how you acted with him most times. You cared for him, even risked your life to keep him safe.”  
  
“I do care for him. I know I don’t act it a lot, but I do feel like he’s my son kinda,” Dee admitted.  
  
“Dee, if we do this, I need to know that you’ll commit not only to me, but to Bikky 100%. He won’t be a part-time son anymore. He’ll be a full-time one. Can you be a full-time father?”  
  
Dee looked down at the silk brocade placemat he had before him and let out a long deep sigh. He lifted his head again and looked Ryo right in the eyes. “Yes,” he replied. “I can. Even more, I want to. I wanted to for a while now. Just as I wanted to be your full-time partner, and I don’t mean just with Torchwood.”  
  
“We are full-time partners at work, silly,” Ryo stated starting to smile. He believed Dee. Even more, he felt Dee’s conviction and knew he had the answer he needed. “And we’re also full-time partners in our personal lives. Now we’re making plans to live full-time together as soon as we’re able.”  
  
Dee stood up and walked around the table. He turned Ryo around and as Ryo looked up, he found himself being deeply kissed. He lifted his hands to cup Dee’s face and returned the kiss.  
  
They continued until Dee pulled away and winked at Ryo. “I think Bikky’s ready but we’re not. We best get dressed in something more appropriate for outdoors.” He winked at Ryo as Bikky entered the kitchen again.  
  
Ryo stood up. “Biks, I wasn’t thinking. You might as well grab a snack while Dee and I change out of our night clothes.”  
  
Bikky glanced at Ryo and then Dee and burst out in laughter. “You were actually going to leave like this?”  
  
“Well, you didn’t notice until now either, so you can’t tease us too much, rugrat,” Dee remarked. “Give us a few minutes.”  
  
“Grab a couple of cookies and some milk, Bikky.” Ryo took Dee by his hand and started to leave him out of the kitchen.  
  
“Hurry up, you two and none of that nasty stuff. I wanna have time to watch the holovids.”  
  
“No worries,” Ryo called out. “The sooner we get to Dee’s, the sooner you can start on your homework.”  
  
Dee let out a snort and allowed Ryo to pull him through the flat toward the bedroom.

 


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dee and Ryo make their announcement to Bikky. Dee, Ryo and their team plan on how to deal with the Weevils.

CHAPTER FIVE

 

The three had finished eating their dinner and still sat at the dining table in Dee’s flat. Dee had a breakfast bar in his kitchen that they ate most meals, especially when dinner was to be a fast occasion. For times they preferred to take it slow and relax, with hopes of not having to go out on an off evening, Dee had a more formal dining room set up loft-style up a brass spiral staircase above the kitchen. There was a gorgeous view of Manhattan’s spiraling towers and the Hudson River during the day. At night, when the city was lit up, there was something magical about the view. There were times that despite the size of the table in the dining loft, Dee and Ryo had intimate romantic dinners when they were alone in the flat. They chose to eat there that night because not only were they hoping to enjoy a nice slow meal, but they were hoping to establish the sense of family that happened many times when they ate there as opposed to sitting around the breakfast bar. Their meal was not very formal – a cheeseburger with mac and cheese for Bikky, a veal cutlet hero with spaghetti for Dee and baked chicken with vegetables for Ryo with salad for all three. They also picked up a cheesecake from the place they got their dinner, since it had a reputation for their cheesecake.

“Are we ready for dessert?” Dee asked as he leaned back in his chair, full on a good meal.

“Cheesecake!” Bikky exclaimed with a smile. 

It was not every night when they had a chance to eat dinner together that Ryo approved such a rich treat for dessert, but Ryo had two reasons for it that night. One was that Bikky was so far on his best behavior. He had only picked on Dee a couple of times on the way there and both times were more for fun than out of malice. Dee had reciprocated but also only in fun. There had been times when Dee and Bikky would get into it bad and it was serious and thankfully over the last year those clashes had become few and far between. What did not stop was the bickering just to get a rise out of the other. It was obvious that both Bikky and Dee enjoyed it and it was their way of bonding, even if it would drive Ryo crazy most times.

Both Dee and Bikky seemed on their best behavior that evening so far. Ryo knew Dee’s motives, in hoping that Bikky would agree to the teen and Ryo moving in. Dee felt that would be a difficult decision for Bikky to agree on if he felt that he was moving in with an ogre and would be miserable all the time.

Ryo suddenly understood why in the last few months that Dee allowed Bikky to spend more time alone in his gaming den, allowing him to play most of his hologames and sharing most of his holovids, including spending more evenings sitting just with Bikky as they watched the anime that Toshiko would send to Dee. Ryo enjoyed some anime but did not share the love for it as much as Dee and Bikky did. It was their thing the two shared, along with rugby and stickball (even if Ryo was able to hold his own when he joined in once in a while to play stickball with them). Gaming and anime were two more things to allow Dee and Bikky bond over.

There was one thing the two always had, even at the beginning when their fighting between each other was at the worse. For the first couple of years, Ryo had to wonder if they really did hate each other, but then ever so often one of them would do something for the other that gave Ryo hope. Dee especially was quick to step in and stand up for Bikky when he felt Ryo was about to make a parental call when he did not understand the situation.

Dee might have grown up in Maria’s luxurious townhouse, having whatever he wanted, but he also had spent most of his time at the children’s home while Maria ran things. Dee not only helped around in the home, but his closest friends were living in the home. Along with those friends, which included a boy named Tommy who came to the home when he was nine and was Dee’s age, they managed to make friends with other children outside the home. Some of them were from the poorer neighborhoods and Dee’s little group of friends from the home found themselves constantly in trouble. Ryo could see Dee saw himself at that age in Bikky. Dee was lucky enough to have Jess to bail him out of trouble and to stand up to Mother so Dee’s punishment would not be so harsh. Dee did the same thing with Bikky. The boy did have Ryo, who took him in as a foster and decided to keep him but Dee understood him better and lent a major hand in keeping Bikky from getting in too deep with the wrong crowd. 

In the last year, Ryo started to see a different boy than the scared and angry child he took in. Even in all the trouble he got in when he was younger, both Ryo and Dee saw it was what he knew but he was just a misguided child with a good heart. Ryo started to see that good heart more and more. Bikky still found himself in trouble, but Ryo had to admit a lot of it had to do with the two men who were raising him and what they did and the poor kid was a magnet for trouble just as they were. It only affirmed to Ryo that the three belonged together as a family. Ryo also gave Dee credit for also being a contributing factor in making the teen both men were proud of. 

Now Ryo was hoping that Bikky was as willing to move in with Dee and become a family as much as Ryo wanted.

Ryo started to get up. “I’ll put on some coffee and get the cheesecake.” He started to collect their empty plates that they had transferred their takeaway onto when they got home.

Dee stood up too and went to Ryo to take the plates away from Ryo, setting them down on a side board. “I can get the coffee on up here, so just grab the cake and get back here.” He opened a drawer where he kept his extra tableware. “And if Bikky wants something other than coffee.”

“Coffee’s good,” Bikky replied, “especially if Dee is making it.”

“You do like his coffee better than mine,” Ryo accused amused.

“Not my fault I had lessons from Ianto when I was a teen,” Dee remarked with a laugh. “Now if you insist on doing something for us, hurry along and get the cake. We can all bring our dishes down when we’re done.”

“As you wish, Mr. Director,” Ryo remarked with a grin and started to go down the stairs.

 

OoOoOoO

 

While Ryo was down in the kitchen, Dee took out dessert plates, forks and coffee cups before going over to the black cast iron pot belly stove that had two burners on it that either cooked on the heat from the stove alone or was able to use flames. Dee chose to turn the dial for one burner to cook with a low flame and he put the coffee pot on.

“I wish you guys don’t get a call out tonight,” Bikky said as Dee spooned the coffee into the basket.

 

“I’m wishing so too, Biks. The last couple of days were rough and even if nothing else happens, tomorrow Ryo and I need to deal with the paperwork for the past few days.”

“Do you have to help with getting the other families settled in temporary quarters?” Bikky asked.

“That’s not our department, but Ryo and I do want to sit down with all the families and make sure they have something that they are comfortable in. I know most of those families were living in crowded quarters and I need to make sure they don’t end up even more crowded,” Dee explained.

“I tell my friends who think Torchwood is bad that if it wasn’t for you guys, most aliens wouldn’t have as much as they do,” Bikky replied. “I know my dad got hell for knocking up my mom and marrying her because she was an alien but I’m proud to be half-alien.”

“You should be, Biks. There’s nothing to be ashamed off. Some people tend not to see aliens as living beings. All beings should have the same rights.”

“And they do because of Torchwood,” Bikky replied proudly.

“I didn’t have anything personally to do with it, but I have to echo that feeling. That’s why I believe in what I do.”

“But your sector steps in and helps out aliens when other agencies won’t and that’s a good thing.”

“I like to think so,” Dee replied. He sat down once the coffee was on. “All I know is we’re going to be really busy for the next few weeks and I can see Ryo and me getting home late. So we best enjoy whatever time we have free when we have it.”

“Is it those Weevils?” Bikky asked.

“Yeah. We can see they can create more problems here than in Cardiff, especially with the subway,” Dee replied. “Which reminds me, you need to be extra careful when you’re out there. I know you know how to handle Weevils, but do enough to get away safely. Don’t try to be a hero, Bikky. Promise me that.”

Bikky nodded slowly. “I’ll try.”

“Don’t just try, Biks. Don’t do that to Ryo, or to me too. If when you’re an adult, if you still feel you want to help like we do, you can join Torchwood. Until then, just make sure you keep yourself safe so you can become an adult.”

“I am going to join Torchwood,” Bikky said with conviction. “And not only just because of Ryo, Dee. You helped me make that decision. I see everything you do and how much you care, just like Ryo.”

“What does Carol think about that?” Dee had to ask with a knowing smile.

“She wants to be Torchwood too, but I think she wants to go into the medical field.”

Dee looked up as he heard footsteps on the stairs and saw Ryo’s head first as his partner ascended the steps. “She’s going to have to go to college,” he stated.

“I know. Her aunt wants her to go to college, even if it looks like it will be community one,” Bikky replied.

“We’ll work something out, Biks,” Ryo said as he joined them again. “Carol deserves to get a good education and be able to do whatever she wants, even if it is just a nurse in a local hospital like Elina.”

“We need to make sure Bikky is able to go to college first,” Dee pointed out.

“We need to get Bikky to graduate from high school first,” Ryo said.

“Hey!” Bikky exclaimed. “My grades are getting better.”

“Well, you do seem to do better when Dee can sit down with you,” Ryo mused. “I’m just concerned that he waited too long before starting to improve his grades to get into a good college.”

“I was fifteen when I turned things around and started to strive for better grades and I got into a good college,” Dee explained.

“You also had sponsors using the Torchwood card to get you into the universities you attended to make up for any shortcomings in being a late bloomer with good grades,” Ryo said.

“And Bikky has the same. He has us and I know Jack and Ianto would step in if needed. Bikky has the chance to go far.” Dee looked at Bikky, his eyes meeting the teen’s and looking serious. “But that’s up to you, Biks. You have to give us something to work with.”

“I know and I’m working on it,” Bikky said.

“I can see that, Biks,” Ryo commented as he started to cut the cake and place slices on the plates Dee had set out. “Dee’s just saying you need to keep it up and don’t slide again.”

“Which means if you find yourself struggling, you need to let Ryo or me know so we can help you.”

“What if you’re too busy?” Bikky asked, but his eyes lit up as Ryo set a plate with cake on it before him.

“Then I’ll look into getting you a tutor,” Ryo replied. “As long as you show you’re putting an effort into your grades, I’ll make sure you get every chance I can get you.”

“Okay.” 

There was silence while Dee served the coffee and they started to eat the cheesecake.

Halfway through, Ryo looked across the table to share a look with Dee. Dee nodded and put his fork down to take a drink of coffee, his eyes on Ryo.

“Bikky,” Ryo called out gently.

“Yeah Ryo?” Bikky asked with his mouth full.

“Dee and I have been doing some talking lately and we realized that we’re spending a lot of time together lately.”

“You pervs always spend a lot of time together,” said Bikky.

“I mean more than usual,” Ryo corrected. “And more than just me and Dee. The three of us have been mostly sleeping under the same roof, whether it’s here or home.”

Bikky shrugged. “This is home too. After all, I have my own room here, while you two pervs share the big room upstairs. Thank goodness for that! I don’t have to hear you prevs going at it. Bad enough you’re all lovey-dovey everywhere else.” He stuck his tongue out at the two men.

“And that’s much more than some of the hoodlums you hang out with,” Dee remarked.

Bikky shut his mouth and gave Dee a thoughtful look. He nodded his head reluctantly. “Yeah, alright.”

Dee gave Ryo a smirk, but realized his partner was staring at the teen in amazement. Something Bikky also said suddenly struck him. He put down his coffee cup and gazed intently at Bikky. “Do you really feel this is home?”

“Yeah. We spend a lot of time here. Besides, this place is way cooler than Ryo’s.”

“Bikky, what would you think if I rented out my place and we move here?” Ryo asked.

Bikky’s eyes went wide. “Really? Then I can sleep in my room here every night?” Suddenly he looked suspicious. “If I say I want to, will you suddenly stop letting me play games and watch anime?”

“Of course not, Biks. It will just be available all the time now,” Dee replied.

“As long as your homework is done and you spend some time with us.”

“I was considering getting you a viewing screen for your room. If you guys move in, I’ll get it for you. Kinda a welcome home gift,” Dee said.

“Really? Cool! I’d love that.”

“I take it that’s a yes?” Ryo asked.

“When are we moving everything in?” Bikky asked.

Dee laughed with relief and could see Ryo was feeling the same from his smile. “It won’t be overnight, I’m afraid but we’ll aim for as soon as possible.”

“We’re going to be busy at work for the next few weeks and then Dee and I have a little business trip in the next couple of weeks. We were thinking of asking you if you’ll like to come along,” Ryo said.

“Where?”

“We decided to send the primary squads from each shift in the 27th Sector to Cardiff in the future for Weevil training,” Dee explained.

“I wanna go in the future, but why are you doing it that way? And to Cardiff? Will Ianto and Jack be there?” Bikky asked.

“I’m not sure if they’ll go with us, but they might decide to come here to send us off,” Ryo replied.

“I want these teams to train in Cardiff,” Dee explained, “but we don’t have the time for the trip to Cardiff and the six-week training program. I do have the option of using Torchwood facilities to send them into the future and put them through the training module and as far as everyone here is concerned, we won’t be gone more than a day or two. We could leave you with Mother while we’re gone or you could have a few weeks off from school and only miss a couple.”

“Which you would have to make-up,” Ryo added.

“Would I get help if I need it?” Bikky asked.

“Of course,” Ryo replied.

“Then I want to go with your guys. Please?”

Dee smiled at Ryo. “Sounds like we can all plan out the move during our off time in Cardiff.”

“Sounds like it, if we can’t find time before then,” Ryo agreed. “If we’re done here, let’s take down the dishes and get them washed. Then homework, Biks. The sooner it’s done correctly, the more time you’ll have to do what you want before bed.”

“Okay Ryo. Dee, let’s go wash dishes!” Bikky grabbed his plates and Ryo’s and dashed down the stairs.

Dee let out a laugh while Ryo shook his head. Ryo started to gather the cake plates with Dee’s dishes. “At least for a while there are things around here that get him excited enough to actually help without a protest,” Ryo said.

“Yeah, until he gets used to having the fun stuff all around him,” Dee commented. “But for now, let’s take advantage while we have it.” He started to gather the coffee mugs and the cake. “If he comes back to spend time with us, we’ll have more cheesecake.”

“Just make sure you save some to have with lunch,” Ryo stated with a smirk as he stood up. “I’m going to send Biks off to do his homework while we do dishes.”

“If you must,” Dee said with a sigh. “I was looking forward to some extra help so we can get this done sooner. I really should give Barry a call and see if he has an update on that dishwashing machine he’s working on.”

Ryo grinned as he looked at Dee. “Even if Barry can get that contraption working, where would you have room for it?”

“We’ll have the steam engine set up outside. I can take out a cabinet along the wall in the kitchen and the wall will hide the ugly engine,” Dee replied. “And it could be out of sight from the garden.”

“As long as we don’t blow up the flat, then I guess it could be interesting to give it a test run.” As Dee started down the stairs, Ryo added, “I think I should hold onto my flat just in case we’ll need it.”

“Ha ha,” Dee called out, “but that might be a good idea.”

Ryo laughed as he followed Dee down to the kitchen.

OoOoOoO

J.J. entered the common space the next day right on time to start his shift to find Dee and Ryo were already in their office, along with Drake and Ted. Dee was sitting behind his desk and looking up as Drake was explaining something. Ryo was with Ted over by Ryo’s computer. The Second was watching as Ted typed something in as he also was listening to Drake. Like Dee’s computer, it was in a tall oak cabinet behind two ornate doors. The casing was copper with brass edging and the keyboard was set in a tray, the keys thick round brass buttons. There were gear-like dials on the front panel below the monitors for screen resolution and turning the computer on and off. A large rectangular screen was above the copper console tucked within copper pipes. On each side was a fold-out screen that when opened extended the monitor. Copper pipes and coiled wiring came out from the console. The pipes went up behind the screens to stand out above, the tops just barely fitting within the cabinet’s space.

J.J. knocked on the door and entered the office. “Am I late?” he asked when Dee looked over at him.

“Morning J.J.,” Dee greeted. “No, you’re not late. We’re all just here early. I asked Drake to come in a little early so I can give him more attention to his idea for the Weevils.”

“And I asked Ted to join because he’s been doing the computer work for me,” Drake explained. “Good morning partner,” he added as a greeting to J.J.

“So what’s going on?” J.J. asked, coming over to join everyone.

Dee leaned back in his chair and with a small smile said, “Drake, feel like filling J.J. in?”

Drake looked over at Dee. “Does this mean you’re thinking about using it?”

“I’m doing more than thinking,” Dee replied as he looked at Ryo, who nodded in agreement. “I’m going to send you two down with Ryo to development and see if we can get this thing developed as soon as possible.”

“Don’t you need permission from Chief or Rose?” Drake asked in amazement.

“I know Chief will trust my judgment. Even more that Ryo is on board with this too. As for Rose, well he’ll have no choice but to follow orders from the big bosses”. Dee grinned. “Once you fill J.J. in, I want you, Ted and Ryo go down to development. Meanwhile I’ll contact The Directors and run the idea past them.”

“Now I really hope this will work,” Drake replied.

“Oh it will work alright,” Ted remarked. “From what I can see here,” he pointed to Ryo’s computer.

Ryo nodded. “I have to agree,” he said. “Drake, you did real good work here. You too, Ted.”

Ted dropped his head, but grinned with satisfaction. Drake grinned too, looking pleased with himself. “Well thanks, Ryo,” Drake replied. “And you, Dee. Thanks for believing.”

“Thank you to the two of you,” Dee replied as he leaned back in his chair. “The sooner we can get this going, the better I feel about subway station security. Of course, we’ll still have to comb the tunnels.”

“What are we going to do with the Weevils as we capture them?” J.J. asked.

“For now, we’ll maintain them in the cells, giving them their own section,” Dee replied.

“Until we have a proper facility for holding them,” Ryo added. “They may be dangerous, but they are still living beings, who have families.”

“That’s right,” Dee replied. “We considered tagging them and letting them go like they do in Cardiff, but there are more complications here than they have there. So we’re developing a Weevil holding facility.”

Ryo smirked as he looked over to Dee. “I can foresee a slight problem with that.”

“Convincing someone to feed the bastards?” Ted asked.

Dee laughed as he shook his head. “We’ll have people trained to handle the facility. We do have some within the organization who would actually welcome it. But now, that’s not what Ryo meant.”

“Then what?” Drake asked.

“We’d probably be seeing more of Owen Harper here, taking advantage of our Weevil studies,” Ryo comments.

“I wonder if he’d request a temporary transfer?” Dee asked.

“Only if Toshiko would go for it too,” Ryo pointed out and then laughed.

“Don’t worry about having to babysit Weevils,” Dee assured his team. “Ryo and I will take care of that. What I expect from you is answers to keep citizens safe from alien attacks and the friendly aliens to continue to be protected.” He leaned back in his chair again. “Now get to work everyone. I also expect reports on my desk by the end of today – for both incidents.”

Everyone groaned as they prepared to leave.

“I guess that means I get to work on ours alone while you’re making nice-nice in development, Drakey,” J.J. said with a sigh. “And I’ll tell Marty when he gets in to also start on yours, Ted.”

“Sorry, J.J., but it’s more important for Drake and Ted to work on those sonic barriers,” Dee replied.

Ryo settled on the edge of Dee’s desk as they watched the others file out.

“Oh and there’s a meeting for just the three shift command teams at 1100 hours,” Dee called out and grinned when there came loud groans from outside the office. “At least you knuckleheads are here already. The second and third shift teams aren’t going to be happy,” he said to the others, knowing they didn’t hear him. At least he made Ryo laugh.

Ryo smiled at Dee. “I guess that means back to work for us too. I assume for you that also includes contacting Ianto and Jack?”

“For both of us. You know they both enjoy brainstorming with the two of us,” Dee replied.

“True, but until then I should work on our reports so you can get your stuff started.”

Dee snapped forward to sit up straight in his chair and snapped a salute, “Yes sir!”

“Smartass,” Ryo quipped as he stood up and stared for his desk. 

“Now Ryo, we both know that while I may be in charge around here, that you’re in charge of me,” Dee said with a wink.

“Sometimes it does feel like that,” Ryo said with a sigh. “Speaking of which, next time Bikky goes to stay with Carol, I’ll show you me being in charge.”

“Dammit Ryo. And I’m supposed to concentrate on everything I have planned for today now?”

Ryo simply laughed as he sat down at his desk and started on the reports.

 

OoOoOoO

 

Thankfully the command teams meeting went better than Dee had planned. He was not expecting the teams to be against it from the start but he was expecting a few token protests. The others seemed too excited to find out they were to leave for Weevil Training in Cardiff in the future within the week for Dee’s comfort. The only concern voiced was from Marty, but once assured that they would be gone from this time only a couple of days, which was not longer than sometimes Torchwood kept Marty from going home to his family, Marty joined the enthusiasm. It further helped that they were all going to be guaranteed two days off previous to their departure. When the meeting was coming to a close, Dee slyly let it be known that immediate families were authorized to join on the journey and had to pause for the cheers. He closed the meeting telling the teams that anyone wanting to bring family to fill out travel forms and bring them to his office. Dee and Ryo decided they were going to personally file the family travel requests to assure all family members had the same travel arrangements as the teams.

Ryo suggested that Ted and Drake always enjoyed going bar-hopping with Owen whenever the two primary command teams got together. Ted also liked talks with Toshiko about technology as long as she didn’t get too carried away. Ted was their computer and technology specialist and was among the best Torchwood had, but he did not come close to Toshiko’s intelligence and ability to techno-babble. However, their talks about problems they had with some technology seemed to help both in finding at least some answers if not conquering the problems. Marty was easy-going enough to get along with anyone on the Cardiff team, and enjoyed a night out with the others, but did prefer to stick closer to family oriented activities in his free time whenever he found himself in Cardiff. He would gravitate toward the children of the team in Cardiff, along with the parents, especially when he would be with his own family. Dee had figured it helped convincing Marty when he stated that he would be allowed to bring his family if he wished. Marty was definitely the family man out of the group, having three children and a wife. Ryo had been raising Bikky since he had first taken him in and with Dee’s help along the way, but they were only just starting to become a family. Moving in together was going to be a huge step, and Dee was also seriously considering putting in the paperwork to also adopt Bikky, making the teen his legal son. Even if he could say he helped raise a young boy, the situation was going to be much different than Ryo and Dee having their own flats with Bikky living with Ryo.

Being that Dee decided that Bikky was able to come along if he wanted and was able to have Carol with him, he thought it would be fair to extend the same option to the others on the teams with families. One of the many perks of working for an agency that offered time travel to civilians was also offered to Torchwood staff and family at a fraction of the costs. Allowing families to travel with staff being sent for work was up to the discretion of the unit’s Commander. For units that travel was part of their duties, the Torchwood member would have to be gone more than a month for it to be considered. For units that time travel was not part of their usual duties, authorizing families was considered if someone was to go into the future more than two weeks. When Dee took command of the 27th Sector, he did not deviate from Director Smith’s guidelines of at least a week, but it also depended on the reason for the travel. Since there were set hours for training along with weekends off, Dee had authorized for anyone in the teams selected to go for the intensive training course in Cardiff who had a family to bring them along.

Dee and Ryo spent the rest of the day after ordering lunch to be delivered compiling the reports for the last two days, along with going over the reports of other incidents responded to by the other field squads over the last few days, flagging anything either of them felt needed further investigation by their command team. The reports involved burglaries, muggings and assaults and other injustices involving aliens, whether they were victims or suspects. There were also a couple of Weevil sightings but no major incidents involved except for some citizens being scared.

They took a break from their reports for a late afternoon snack on the Torchwood Café patio, and then went up to check in on some of the squads that were flagged to follow-up on because they had cases in progress. Afterward they made the rounds checking in on other units within the 27th Sector before the 1st shift left for the day. 

They were on their way up to their office when Dee’s comm went off. “Director Laytner,” he heard, “this is Zagelo at the front desk.”

“What can I do for you, Zagelo?” Dee asked.

“I just wanted to let you know that your mother is in the tower. She is on her way up to the transient floors with some assistants.”

“Really? Did she say where exactly?” Dee asked.

“She asked for the Hollenswags’ suite. She said she had clothes and accessories for the family,” came the reply.

Dee started to smile. “Is that so? I’ll let her be to do what she must then,” Dee said.

Maria Lane was well-known at Torchwood Tower and not because she was the mother of the 27th Sector’s Director. Maria not only ran a children’s home that was mostly for alien children, but she would provide for families who were put up as Torchwood’s guests when they first arrived. It was not a surprise to Dee that Maria would be there. She had already collected items for some of the other misplaced families who were waiting for the outcome of the building’s fate, but would have belongings to be reunited with eventually. Dee knew she would take longer for the Hollenswags because the majority of their belongings were in the room the Blowfish had driven the aircar through. That meant she would not only be accepting donations from her usual network of supporters, but would have personally gone shopping herself to buy new things for the family to give them a head start, including clean clothes to go out in whether it’s to shop for new things or just to be outside.

It was standard procedure when someone was checked into the transient for temporary housing that a report which included sizes and personal preference was sent to Maria. Normally within 24 hours she would show up with provisions for those being housed. This was at Maria’s request when Dee was named Director of the 27th Sector, so Dee made it a standing order. Before that, ever since Dee started with Torchwood, if he mentioned an individual or family who had lost their belongings, she would call him within a day stating she had provisions.

Dee and Ryo had worked past dinner. Ryo contacted Bikky to let him know they were going to work long into the evening and for the boy to head over to Maria’s for dinner and they would pick him up on the way home.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dee and Ryo visit with Maria Lane.

CHAPTER SIX

It was almost 10 o’clock when Dee and Ryo arrived at Maria Lane’s townhouse. In the last six years Maria had a bit of a commute when she left the orphanage, going the 10 blocks by horse-drawn carriage driven by her personal driver.

It was six years ago that the building the children’s home was in was located next door to Maria’s townhouse. She owned both buildings, and for a year had been refusing offers from a major company to buy both her buildings and the rest of the block. She owned all the buildings and land for a small section of Morningside Heights through her inheritance after she had lost both her parents in an airship accident. Sentimental value was one of the reasons she would not sell, but not the only one. Maria Lane was a clever businesswoman and understood what it took to make more money. It was ingrained in her since a child since it was old money handed down for several generations. Since her many times great grandfather made his fortune after years of hard labor, each generation managed to at least double the family worth. She had raised Dee with those same lessons as she had because despite not giving birth to him, he was her son in every other way and her sole heir to her empire. She had other motives for making more money. She managed to maintain the running of the children’s home with no worries of a child going without anything. They may not have everything Dee had growing up as her son, but they had the basics and more than most of the children living in the poorer areas of town. She never said no to any additional donations, because the more she could give the children, the better. She also enjoyed the lifestyle in which she was raised. She was for the most part a generous, humble woman, but she enjoyed to continue the lifestyle she grew up with. She always wanted to acquire more properties and businesses, than lose any.

Another reason for her not selling any of the buildings she owned was because she had a flat or two in each of her buildings she owned in New York City that she offered at lower rent to aliens in need, giving them something better than they would have had. In the center of some of the blocks, she had converted stables and carriage houses she had a sliding scale on rent depending on the tenant’s pay. She also had several buildings used as dorms for university students who were alien with scholarships but unable to afford anything but the crowded dorms the university set aside for anyone who was not able to afford the better dorms the university offered. She also rented most of her most luxurious flats at the highest rent she was able to get, putting most of the profits into her accounts she used to run the children’s home as well as helping transient aliens put up by Torchwood.

S Corp had other plans for the area owned by Maria. They had plans to develop an upscale university sector surrounding Columbia University, with a series of higher buildings, including a plaza with a shopping center, the buildings housing businesses and ultra-luxury flats. The buildings would also have sections for aircar parking. There would be clubs, restaurants and what was boasted as the tallest and most expensive hotel in the world. There were also plans for a multi-platform airship station more advanced than the others in the tri-state area. In order to do everything they wanted, they needed some of the land Maria owned, including the block the Caireen Children’s Home, named after the Irish goddess who protected children, and her townhouse was on. When she had learned the development was for rich humans only, making it a no alien zone, Maria knew she had made the right decision not to sell to them. Their last offer was an insane amount of money she realized they felt no one in their right mind could refuse. They did not do their homework completely and had no idea she had many other land holdings around the U.S. and U.K. and owned several large businesses with shares in many others. The amount did not make her blink and she refused them again.

That was their last offer to her before they went another way. Six years ago just before Christmas, Dee had brought Ryo to the children’s home for the first time, enlisting his partner in helping bringing treats for the children. Maria always told him not to spend his money, but Dee also knew that Maria would not spend much on sweets and junk food, so he felt it was his duty to provide such things for the children for holidays. While they were there, there was an explosion in the building. Thankfully it was during the time of day that most of the children were outside, but there were still a few casualties, the worse injured being Maria. Dee was lucky that Torchwood had stepped in, taking in all the children who were now homeless and putting them up in the transient lodgings. That was one less concern for Dee while he worried about his adopted mother’s life. She had pulled through, but while Dee was still waiting on whether she would survive or not, he came close to murdering the man who set off the explosion. It was Ryo who had talked him down from going down that path. The man was taken into custody and gave enough information for the 27th Sector to discover S Corp’s plans. Their intention was for Maria to be killed in the blast. If they had not taken in the man, he had orders to blow up Maria’s townhouse next, and then one by one, take out the remaining buildings in the area. They believed Dee, who was Maria’s sole heir to her estate, would crumble from grief over losing his mother and a place for all the orphaned alien children to live, and sell all the land they had wanted to buy. They had also planned to offer Dee much less than the going property price because at least one city block would be levelled. They had underestimated both Dee and the 27th Sector because it was Dee who had found the one responsible before any further destruction could take place.

By the time Maria was released from hospital, Torchwood had already settled a deal with S Corp, who had given up some of the land purchased for S-City, the name the new area was given, to Maria and Dee, along with revising the zoning, no longer a human only zone, along with a cash settlement equal to the amount of their last offer. In exchange, Dee along with Torchwood would never let out S-Corp’s plans to get the land Maria owned and discredit their name. The CEO who had come up with the plan, along with the executives who backed him had publically resigned and secretly turned themselves in to Torchwood for judgment. It was all handled by the core teams of the 27th Sector and they were sent to an upstate Torchwood holding facility, where they would remain until someone in Torchwood felt they could be released. The fact that the incident had included one of their own, and there were serious injuries and one child had lost his life several days after being hospitalized, it was very likely that those executives would not be released anytime in the next several decades, if at all. To cover up the sudden resignations, S-Corp had release statements that the top executives were let go because of embezzling, taking the company for millions, the amount released equaled the entire value on the settlement Dee and Maria had received from the company.

Dee had also obtained a large red stone Baroque-style mansion complete with several towers on Central Park West that ran from 105th and 106th Streets in the deal as a new home for the children. It was much larger than the building that was destroyed and Dee hoped it would always have more rooms than children. It enabled less children per room, as well as being able to give teens their own rooms. There were several kitchens, a massive dining room, large industrial kitchen and two smaller ones, common areas and a large courtyard for the children to play in. He knew Maria would be pleased, because since he was a child, he knew Maria was watching for that building to go on sale so she could buy it and move the orphanage in it. Dee jumped at the chance while the S-Corp lawyers were being very cooperative in buying Dee’s and Torchwood’s silence when he had discovered who owned the mansion. S-Corp used it for functions.

Maria had since rebuilt the destroyed building. She agreed with Dee that the children would be better off in the new building, so she had the old children’s home rebuilt for flats that she added to her rental properties offered for lower income. What had saved her townhouse from more than minimal damage was the alley that ran between the townhouse and the children’s home, which was access for the horses that pulled her carriage and the one for the children’s home to the stables in the back behind the yard the children had played in. She still had to have some repairs because of things being shaken by the blast and to replace windows that faced the children’s home building, but she was back in her townhouse within a month after being released from the hospital. 

It felt strange to Dee that the building he basically grew up in was gone, but the children were much better off in the bigger building. At least the townhouse was still there with only a few changes, and Dee considered that his true childhood home. 

Dee and Ryo were greeted at the door by the maid, Amanda. She wore a light blue linen dress with a plain high collar, long sleeves under a white ruffled apron. After taking their coats, Amanda led them through the candlelit maple wood hallway toward the sitting room. Through the doorway, they noticed Maria sitting in her favorite chair near the fireplace, and Carol was sitting on the settee closest to Maria’s chair, while Bikky was sitting a plush throw rug by the fireplace. A small wooden table was within arm reach of Maria’s chair, set up for her after dinner tea and what was left of their dessert, which was golden sponge cake with handmade whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Candles cast a golden haze across the room, shadows flickering on the occupants. The walls were paneled maple with inner panels of orange, yellow and gold brocade framed by gold gilt edging. The furniture was expensive wood, the seating all upholstered and very comfortable. Maria did not believe in straight back seating and no upholstery in any room where her family gathered.

Dee remembered when he was younger, how sometimes they would visit the home of a wealthy acquaintance and how uncomfortable he was with the antique furniture. He preferred Maria’s sense of decorating for comfort rather than to show off their wealth by how many expensive old antiques they owned. Walking into Maria’s townhouse, one felt the opulence and luxury, but it was also cozy, comfortable and very warm. To Dee, her home summed up Maria. Basically to see her townhouse was to know her.

There was a small stained glass lamp from a popular artist on a corner table. The townhouse was wired for electricity, but as far back as Dee could remember, she had only used electricity when it was absolutely necessary. She preferred candlelight and small ornate gas lamps when she was relaxing in her home. She had a radio that she would listen to dramas and some music, but she did not own a holo-viewer. She would claim she had no use for it. She did buy one for Dee for his tenth birthday and kept it in his room, and when he moved from the townhouse after college into his first flat, she insisted he take it along with his other possessions. 

Maria was dressed in a white cotton panel blouse with a high neck. The sleeve had a slight puff on the shoulders, and gathered along the arm to end in a band cuff closed with pearl buttons. On the collar she wore a brass and pearl inlaid broach. The blouse was tucked into a caramel colored linen long skirt with a wide black waistband. She wore a single platinum ring on her right ring finger with pink quartz set to look like a flower. She wore very little jewelry unless she was attending a fundraiser or had a business meeting when she knew showing off her wealth would result in the meeting going in her favor. Dee had given her the ring for her birthday after he was promoted to the 27th Sector’s Director. Since then, it was her one standard piece of jewelry and most definitely her favorite. The upper half of her long greying hair was done in a chignon with the lower part hanging long going down her back.

Bikky wore a white short sleeved cotton tee-shirt under a dark grey sleeveless long jacket that he wore open. Copper piping went down the front edges with big copper etched buttons on each side, to be attached by the copper chains that currently hung from the buttons on the left side. He had black pants and a black leather belt.

Carol was wearing a brown velvet short sleeve blouse that gathered on her arm with a white lace ruffle from the sleeve’s end and a brown velvet and leather corset. The front of the corset had a panel with lighter brown and beige vertical one inch stripes and three straps that buckled. She had a burgundy cotton overskirt with matching straps attached to the bottom of her corset which pulled up her overskirt on each side, revealing a white lace underskirt. Her skirts were short, going midway down her thighs. On her legs she wore black lace stockings. On her feet she wore brown leather lace up boots with slim three inch heels. On her arms were brown sleeveless gloves going three-quarters to her elbows with white lacing going along the gloves. Her blond hair was pulled into a ponytail.

Maria was talking while both teens stared up at her with rapt attention as Maria weaved one of her tales. Dee smiled fondly as they watched through the doorway. Leaning his head slightly toward Ryo, Dee said in a low voice, “I keep telling her she needs to write down some of those stories she tells.”

Ryo chuckled. “That might be a good idea, but then the books would be missing her voice as she tells her stories. Nothing quite like it. I know why children of all ages give her undivided attention when she’s doing story time.”

“True,” Dee had to agree.

Maria winded down her story and looked over to the entryway, smiling. “Come in, darlings,” she invited Dee and Ryo.

“Don’t stop because they’re here,” Bikky insisted of the woman he had admitted he saw as a grandmother.

“More next time you’re over,” Maria promised with a warm smile as the two men made their way across the sitting room. “It will give you something to look forward to.” She reached out as Dee leaned over to kiss her cheek and took her hand, squeezing it lovingly. “Hello Dee.”

“Hello Mother. Thanks for letting Bikky stay over for dinner.” He grinned as he glanced at Carol. “Plus one.”

Maria laughed. “Bikky is always welcome here, Dee, as well as his young lady.”

Bikky blushed slightly, while Carol started to pick at an invisible thread on her skirt, looking down.

Ryo laughed at the teens’ reactions as Dee moved away so Ryo could greet the lively and warm woman. “Good evening, Mother,” he greeted as he leaned down to kiss her cheek.

“Good evening to you, Ryo. I’m so glad you are able to join us tonight.” Maria sat back in her chair. “Sit darlings and make yourselves comfortable.”

Dee and Ryo joined Carol on the settee.

“This is wonderful,” Maria exclaimed happily. “It’s like the family is all here.”

“That is because we all are,” Dee replied as he took Ryo’s hand in his.

“Can you stay for tea?” Maria asked.

“I wouldn’t dare think I can get out of this house without visiting a bit,” Dee replied with a smile.

“I assume Ryo came here to pick up Bikky to go home,” Maria started.

“Dee and I came together, and it looks like when we leave, we’ll be dropping Carol off first,” Ryo stated.

“Really Mother, we can stay for a while,” Dee replied, “and catch up a bit. I just have one little request.” He raised his eyebrows as he stared at his mother.

“Amanda,” Maria called out.

The maid appeared in the doorway with a pleasant smile. “Yes ma’am?”

“Please bring me some more tea, and also for Bikky and Carol, if you don’t mind. And if you would be so kind, could you also put some coffee on for my son and his partner.”

“Why of course, Madam Lane. Would your latest guests also like some cake?”

“Yes, they would. This is my Dee’s favorite when he was growing up,” Maria exclaimed. “And bring out some of the shortcake biscuits too please.”

“Yes Madam Lane,” Amanda replied with small curtsy and quickly left the room.

Dee raised an eyebrow as he watched Amanda leave.

“So formal, that one,” Maria stated with a sigh. “Nothing like the staff we had when you were growing up, Dee, but she does her job well and doesn’t complain if we’re suddenly overrun by small children at times.”

“Give it time, Mother,” Dee replied. “I know you’ll have her relaxed soon enough. I remember us getting help that came from more formal families and we broke them.” He grinned at her. “Hey, you know, that was fun. If you like, I can help breaking Amanda.”

“Now behave, Dee. You’re not a child anymore,” Maria warned him, and then had an impish grin. “Even if it would be fun.”

Ryo let out a laugh at mother and son. Every time he was around the two, Ryo knew that Dee was definitely Maria’s son.

“Bikky,” Ryo started as he looked over to his son, “how much more homework do you have to do this weekend?”

“I’m done,” Bikky exclaimed with a wide grin.

Both Dee and Ryo blinked. They were always barely lucky to get Bikky to start on his homework on Fridays and end up nagging him through the weekend, with a frantic push to get him to finally finish whatever they could not get him to do on Sunday nights. “You’re done?” Dee asked.

“Yes, he is finished with all his assignments,” Mother said. “Bikky sat down with study group at the home.”

“Ah ha,” Dee replied, remembering how Maria would gather all the school age children at the home in a common room just before dinner, stating no one would eat until their homework was completed. There was no exception to the rule on Fridays. She would also include Dee in the groups, since she would remain in the children’s home to supervise dinner. Most nights after dinner, Dee would help in clean-up and was allowed to go off with his friends until it was time for him to be home, while Maria would stay to help tuck in the younger children before bidding the older ones goodnight and head over to her own home for the rest of the evening. She still kept the same routine with the children’s home all these years later, except that most nights she would head home after dinner clean up, leaving the tucking in to her own personally picked staff. She had a longer journey home now and sometimes she would like to stop at a store or visit a friend on the way home. There were also many times she would visit with misplaced aliens housed in Torchwood and assist them with finding a decent place to live.

“That’s great, Bikky,” Ryo replied. “We’re hoping we don’t get called in this weekend, so I’m thinking we’re going to do some cleaning around our place.”

“Does this cleaning include putting stuff in trunks?” Bikky asked.

“It’ll at least be a start,” Ryo replied. “Dee will also be around to help.”

“Ted said he’ll come around and help get things in storage if we want. And we’ll probably take some time for some shopping too,” Dee said. “We’re running low on groceries.”

“What’s going on?” Maria asked.

“Well, that’s part of the reason for our visit,” Dee replied. He glanced over first at Bikky and then to Ryo.

“Bikky and I have decided to move in with Dee,” Ryo announced.

Maria clapped her hands together. “Oh that’s wonderful news, darlings! Oh Dee, I’m so happy for you!”

Carol let out a happy squee, even if she already had known about it. Bikky told her the first chance he got.

“We realized a few days ago that we’ve been spending all our off time together,” Dee explained, grinning like a fool. “Even Bikky has a room in my flat.” He shrugged. “So we decided to make it official.”

Maria gazed at Dee with an amused and amazed look.

“What?” Dee asked.

“You mean it took you days until you shared this delightful news with me?” Maria asked in a sly tone.

Dee blushed slightly while Ryo let out a laugh and slipped an arm around Dee’s shoulders. “We came to this conclusion in the midst of Weevil chases and Blowfish joy riding in stolen aircars,” Ryo explained. “We’ve been on the go, but I’m hoping we can move enough of what I want with us in this weekend that Bikky and I don’t need to be going to my flat every other day or so to get something.”

“Those Weevils are going to keep you busy, aren’t they?” Maria asked.

“People are talking about Weevils in the subway,” Carol stated, looking concerned. “Can that really happen?”

Dee let out a sigh as he pulled away from Ryo. “It hasn’t happened yet and we’re working on precautions to prevent it, but unfortunately getting the technology ready is going to take some time.”

“Are you putting any of the Torchwood police in the stations?” Bikky asked.

“We are but at the moment we don’t have enough trained to handle them. I had to pull some security agents who had spent time in Cardiff and yet we don’t have enough for all the stations,” Dee explained.

“Is this why we’re going to Cardiff?” Carol asked.

“Yes, Dee, what is this about a trip to Cardiff?” Maria asked.

Everyone paused as Amanda entered bringing the tea, coffee and cake on a service cart. “Would you like anything else, Madam Lane?”

“We can serve ourselves, Amanda. Why don’t you call it a night? My son and his family can find their way out on their own.” Maria smiled at the maid. “Thank you.”

“If you insist, ma’am.”

“I do. Goodnight, Amanda.”

“Goodnight, Madam Maria.” Amanda turned to Dee. “Master Dee, it was good to see you. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight Amanda. Sleep well,” Dee said with a smile.

Amanda bid goodnight to the others and took her leave, heading for her room in the townhouse.

Once Amanda had gone upstairs, Dee leaned forward. “I want the main squads to get the best training on handling Weevils, and that’s the sessions held in Cardiff. I can’t send everyone over, so they’ll send some of their instructors here for everyone else.”

“How long will you be away this time?” Maria asked.

“Only a couple of days,” Ryo replied.

“We’ll be going 50 years in the future and train there. That way we can train up the squads within a couple of days but get the full six week training module,” Dee said.

“You’ll have some down time too, I hope?” Maria asked.

“Yes, we will. We’ll be able to spend time with Bikky and Carol in the evenings,” Dee replied.

“I’m sure you’ll have a marvelous time when you’re not training,” said Maria. “I know you consider Cardiff your second home, Dee. And that is a second home to you while growing up, isn’t it, Ryo?”

“Yes, it was. My parents had a second home there and I do enjoy when we can go there,” Ryo replied.

“Yeah, but I don’t get to see it as much as I would like these last few years.” Dee grinned at his mother. “Ryo and I are just getting refresher courses since we both trained in Cardiff originally, so we’ll have more free time than the rest. I still intend to look in on the rest of the team’s training from time to time even if I’ll get complete assessments from the instructors.”

“Before we know it, we’ll be back here, wishing we had a week to recover, but needing to go back into work,” Ryo said. “We’re going to be staying in my parents’ house.”

“And then hopefully you’ll find the time to move yourself completely in with Dee?” Carol asked with a smile.

“Well, it depends on how much free time we can get from Torchwood,” Ryo said.

“We are going to do our best to get whatever we can moved into my place this weekend,” Dee added. “I already arranged for a lorry from the transport pool for use this weekend. Ryo and Bikky will mostly be living with me by Sunday night. If we don’t get called in.”

Ryo grinned. “Normally Dee insists to be called for anything that isn’t a common call when we’re off duty, but he left with orders for us to be called in only if it’s an end of the world threat.”

Bikky and Carol laughed along with Mother, because they all knew Dee liked to be at least in the know of everything that concerned the 27th Sector, so it was a big deal for him to leave those orders for the weekend.

“I’m so happy for you two. I hope this means there will be a wedding soon?” Maria asked.

“One step at a time, Mother,” Dee replied. “First let’s see if we can really live together without having our own places to retreat to.” He took Ryo’s hand.

Carol raised her hand and exclaimed excited, “I can help! I’m free this weekend, especially if Bikky will be busy helping you.”

“I will be?” Bikky asked, looking surprised.

Ryo lightly rapped Bikky on his head. “Of course you will be, especially with packing up your room.”

“Oh. Okay. Sure,” Bikky conceded.

Dee poured Maria and Carol more tea and then poured coffee for himself and Ryo. Giving Maria a sly look, he also poured a cup of coffee for Bikky. “Bikky seems to be too shy to let you know, but he prefers coffee over tea.”

“Is that true, Bikky?” Maria asked. “You should have said something.”

Bikky shrugged. “You seem to like to give me tea, so since I don’t hate it, it’s been okay.”

“So you started to like coffee?” Maria asked.

“Ever since the last time we went to Cardiff,” Ryo replied.

Maria laughed. “Don’t tell me. You had Ianto Jones’s coffee.”

Bikky nodded. “Yeah. I discovered that I like coffee. I like it more when Mr. Ianto makes it, and also Dee, but Ryo and Miss Amanda can make good coffee too.”

“What about you, Carol?” Maria asked.

“I prefer tea unless we’re in Cardiff,” Carol replied.

Maria laughed. “I agree. Nobody in their right mind can refuse coffee from Ianto Jones. I will admit that sometimes I do also like having a cup when my Dee makes it.”

Ryo smirked. “That’s ‘cause he was an apprentice barista under Ianto.”

“Yeah, and I learned much faster than Jack did,” Dee drawled.

Maria laughed as Dee grinned. Ryo shook his head fondly.

They continued to talk a while, catching up on things while having cake with their drinks.

 

= = = = =

 

“Oh Dee, do you remember your nanny?”

“Margaret?” Dee asked.

“Yes, Margaret. I saw her today.”

“How is she doing?”

“She runs her own agency these days. She provides nannies to families from all walks of life. She’ll be meeting with Sueki Hollenswag next week and assist with getting the Hollenswags a nanny. They will be able to afford it now that her husband will be working for Torchwood, yes?”

Dee nodded. “Yes, they would and still have money left for other things for their family.”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. As I said she provides nannies for all walks of life, and she also has some nannies who are not human signed on. She’ll find someone who the Hollenswags can trust to keep their children safe but at a lower rate.”

“That would mean a live-in nanny, if I’m not mistaken,” Dee mused. “Which means we’ll have to find them some places with at least one staff room.”

“I think I can also help with that too. One of the families renting out one of my finer flats is moving out of state before the end of the year. It’s a triplex flat which has plenty of room for their children. It also has a lovely roof garden for the little ones to have somewhere to play other than the street. I thought it would be perfect for them, and there is room for a nanny to live with them, if they please. If the Hollenswags prefer something smaller, I can offer the nanny a studio flat in the same building as part of their rental agreement.”

“I couldn’t ask you to give away your best property, Mother,” Dee protested.

“As if it’s my only one,” Mother scoffed and then smiled. “I have several much grander ones. In fact I have more thanks to that settlement you made with S-Corp. You are not going to find a flat or even a home that is large enough for their family that won’t wipe out the majority of Mr. Hollenswag’s salary, unless you’re planning on making him an officer. I can afford to allow one deserving family to have a nice home that they can be comfortable in. I know you made your decision because Rollie Hollenswag is a good man who made a bad decision based on circumstance. You’re hoping by changing the circumstances, he can go onto better things than he seems to be destined for living as he was. I believe in you, Dee. And I want to help. Haven’t we always been a team?”

Dee had to smile brightly. “Yes, we were. We are. Okay Mother, I’ll accept your offer and tell the Hollenswags we have a possible flat for them but they’ll have to live in the suite they have until the beginning of the new year.” Dee looked at Ryo. “Of course we have a few others on our team now, Mother,” he said.

“Of course we do. Ryo took in young Bikky to give him a chance of having better. He has a good heart and someone I want to see you with. You have been helping Ryo with that and that makes me proud. Then there’s also both of you taking Carol under your wings and helping her aunt make sure she has a good life. It’s no wonder you would make the decision you did with Rollie Hollenswag, Dee, and that Ryo backs you on it. I’m extremely proud of you boys. As much as you know you’re making the right decision, I know I am in this.”

Ryo put down his fine bone china teacup on the end table and stood up. “Mother, you are an amazing woman and I’m proud that you allowed me in your family.” He went over to hug her.

“No matter how many times you pull something like this, Mother, I still can’t get used to it,” Dee said. “And I hope I never will.”

“So do I, Dee,” Maria said with a smile.

Dee finished his coffee and smiled at Mother. “We should be going. It’s been a long week and even if we don’t get called in, it’ll still be a busy weekend. We would love to for you to join us for dinner on Sunday.”

“I would be delighted,” Mother replied.

Dee stood up, and watched as Ryo followed his lead. Ryo gestured to Bikky and Carol that it was time to leave. “I’ll ring you around noon for an exact time that I’ll be coming around to pick you up.” He went over to hug Maria, who also stood up. “Again, thank you for putting up with the two rugrats.” He smiled at her.

“Anytime. Bikky is your son and Carol is also family. They know they can come to see me anytime,” Mother said. She went over to hug Bikky, who was grinning widely.

“I’ll remember that,” Bikky said, returning the hug. “I need to hear the rest of that story soon,” he added, making Maria laugh.

“Me too, Madam Lane,” Carol said, moving in for a hug when Bikky pulled away.

“Carol, how many times do I have to tell you? It’s Mother.”

“Okay Mother,” Carol said.

Ryo started to laugh. “For how many years have we been going through this?” he asked as he looked affectionately at Carol.

“Well, Bikky is your son, which makes him Dee’s, but I’m just a friend,” said Carol.

“You are our little sister and daughter in one,” Ryo replied, “which makes you, as Mother just said, family.”

“Okay,” Carol said. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Ryo hugged Maria in parting and as he pulled away, Maria started to move toward the doorway.

Dee took her gently by her arm. “If you are going upstairs to bed, you can leave this room. Otherwise make yourself comfortable. As you said earlier, we do know our way out.”

Maria patted Dee’s cheek. “Yes, you do. I’ll see you Sunday then.”

Dee kissed her forehead and led everyone out of the room and into the hallway toward the front door.

OoOoOoO


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dee and Ryo discover how many of their co-workers and friends support their decision to live together, which makes it easier for Ryo to move into Dee's apartment than they thought.
> 
> Dee and Ryo have their weekly video conference with their bosses, Ianto Jones and Jack Harkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder that this is part of my Torchwood Two Worlds verse and that Jack Harkness and Ianto Jones are the counterparts of the steampunk-like world. In the Torchwood stories, they were Black-coat Ianto and Captain Jack to avoid confusion with the other Jack and Ianto. They are simply Jack and Ianto in this story whenever they appear because there are no counterparts.

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

 

 

Dee entered Ryo’s flat on Sunday morning. The day before had been spent getting whatever Ryo wanted to take with him for the move and putting most of what he was not into storage.  They were not expecting to make the full move that weekend, but when the rest of their squad and other friends offered to help, Dee signed out a second lorry from the transportation pool and they ended up getting everything out of Ryo’s flat by the end of the day and into either storage or to Dee’s flat. Also a group of the older kids from the orphanage mysteriously showed up ready to lend a hand. Dee and Ryo suspected that Bikky must have tipped off Mother, who sent the teens to help who they considered their older brother and his partner.

 

What Ryo planned to take to Dee’s flat mostly amounted to his clothes, some kitchenware and knick knacks. Dee managed to talk Ryo into also taking some artwork, a couple of his bookcases and shelves.

 

The foyer was empty, including the antique mirror that the previous morning had been set on the wall over a small table that was a 200 year old antique from Alpha Centuri that Ryo had inherited from his parents. The mirror was from Raxacoricofallapatorius, also an antique from the planet’s past. Ryo had told him that his parents had never been there but they found the mirror in a market place they would often go to ~~in~~ on a planet in the Andromeda galaxy four hundred years in the future. Ryo had gone there once with his parents. Ryo said his parents liked that particular place because the sellers usually had no idea of the value of what they were selling. They would collect enough to fill up their own spaceship and then they would be able to sell the pieces for their full value or more. They not only brought items that they knew would sell back to the present with them, but many times would make a stop or two at auction houses and get much more.

 

Ryo also had admitted his parents did not keep all their wealth in present time New York. They had an account in Cardiff, which could not be touched when their assets in the United States were frozen after the ruling of their deaths, but Ryo had been unable to gain access to. They also had accounts in the future in various places beyond the Solar System. Their shuttle still sat in a Torchwood transport facility in the future and they had a home not far from there. Ryo never had the time to travel to attempt to gain control of the accounts or the spaceship. He planned to one day he would take a vacation in space with Dee and Bikky and collect his parents’ holdings. He really wanted to take possession of the ship. He would like to do that but he also knew a vacation like that would not be practical anytime soon. One year they’ll all take that vacation. Dee knew he had to do his best to make sure Ryo finally would be reunited with the rest of his family’s possessions. It could not happen anytime soon, but he would see it happen sooner than what Ryo believed it could happen.

 

For now, Dee intended on making sure that now that they were moving in together for Ryo to realize he had a new family now. Dee never wanted Ryo to forget his parents, but he wanted Ryo to always know he had a family now as sure as Ryo was part of his.

 

“Dee, did you get lost in the foyer?” Ryo asked, sounding amused.

 

Dee pulled himself from his musings. “No,” he replied, as he entered the apartment. “It just looks so strange to be empty like this.”

 

“And your place is a wreck, I’m afraid,” Ryo replied, standing up.

 

“Like I never had clutter,” Dee said with a laugh. “But yeah, we’re going to have to get much sorted before it’s time for bed. Which I suspect is going to be earlier than usual after this weekend.” He gave Ryo a rueful grin. “It’s also going to be a shame that the first night living together and we’ll be too tired to do anything more than sleep.”

 

Ryo let out a snort. “You say that now, but we’ll see when it’s time. So how about getting the last of this over to your place and at least widen the path.”

 

“It’s not that bad, but are you certain that you don’t want to have more of your furniture? I mean, it’s going to be our place. I can put some of my stuff in storage to make room.”

 

“I like what you have enough not to replace it all. Your furniture fits the flat’s style better than mine. I’ll have enough accessories around to give the place my stamp, so don’t worry. Besides, if I do decide I want a bit more, I can tell you and then we can head over to storage and pick what we want. Together.”

 

“That’s true,” Dee agreed. “Okay then. Just make sure if you ever do feel that way, you let me know and don’t go reasoning that it would hurt my feelings if you did. ‘Cause what would hurt my feelings is finding out that you didn’t come to me. Got it?”

 

“Yes. I got it,” Ryo said with a smile.

 

Dee moved closer and pulled Ryo in the remaining distance. “Good and now I got you.”

 

Ryo kissed Dee deeply until they had to pull apart for breath.

 

“We better get the last of your stuff,” Dee said, resting his forehead against Ryo’s and breathing hard. “I’m afraid I’m getting nostalgic and might want to do it one more time in this place.”

 

Ryo gazed Dee, his dark eyes glittering devilishly. “Well, I was thinking once we get the rest of this stuff into the lorry, I have an old futon that I’m going to toss on the way out. I thought we can send it off with a bang?”

 

Dee’s grin grew. “Oh yeah?” He quickly kissed Ryo and pulled away to grab a box. “C’mon and let’s get the last of this stuff into the lorry then.”

 

“Did you arrive with the lorry?” Ryo asked.

 

“No. I took my aircar. It was already here when I arrived,” Dee replied.

 

Ryo picked up a box. “Then let’s not keep them waiting.” As they headed for the lift, Ryo asked, “Was Biks settling in his room when you left?”

 

“He was hard at work with it,” Dee replied. “I don’t think I’ve seen that kid voluntarily clean his room so much.”

 

“Just wait until he’s settled in and then he’ll realize he likes things on his floor,” Ryo said.

 

“I think he’ll be good for a while. It’s the game room that will probably look like a tornado went through it,” Dee replied as the lift arrived on the floor. Dee opened the wrought iron gate of ornate swirls and held it open for Ryo.

 

“Don’t worry,” Ryo said once Dee was inside and closed the gate. Ryo handled the lever to bring the lift down. “I’ll continue to be the bad dad and make him clean up after himself.”

 

“What worries me is you having to be bad dad on both of us,” Dee admitted.

 

“You are not that bad, Dee. Even Carol was surprised the first time she came over to your place on how tidy it was. Not as tidy as me, but you’re not a slob either, Dee. I’ll admit when I first started to come over to your place I thought you had a maid. Imagine my surprise to find out that you prefer to clean up after yourself.”

 

“Well, I always felt spending money on a maid was not a fun way to spend my money so I don’t usually. I have hired temporary ones whenever I was away for more than a week, but that was mostly having one of the workers at the children’s home make a few extra dollars to come once a week to dust and that’s it.”

 

The lift came to a stop and Ryo waited while Dee unlatched the gate and then he pushed it open, holding it with a foot for Dee to clear it. “I grew up with maids,” Ryo continued as they walked down the short hall of glossy walls of green brocade and orange paint to the marble and gold lobby, “and a couple of nannies. So it’s natural for me to have someone come in at least a couple of times a week to clean, especially after I had Bikky move in. But then you grew up with maids too.”

 

Dee nodded as they walked through the lobby.

 

A woman sat behind a big wooden desk. She looked severe with her black and grey hair pulled into a tight bun. She wore a black blouse with a high neck black lace collar fastened with a broach. She usually wore a black blouse almost the same. She usually wore black plain long skirts. She never smiled even as she greeted residents and guests she knew.

 

They acknowledged her with a nod and continued on their way out.

 

“It seemed right that Mother had maids,” Dee said. “It is the way of her generation for wealthy families, but she was never as bad as most of the other rich people. I mean, having a staff of twenty for a family of four in a townhouse is a bit much, if you ask me. I do notice that is becoming less so with my generation. Of course, growing up, I did take advantage of it. But then again, Mother worked hard in the children’s home, and when I got old enough, even I helped out there during some of my free time, so when we got home, we both didn’t want to worry about cleaning or cooking. But I never had a nanny. We had some at the home, but I was hardly under any of the nannies’ care before Mother adopted me, and she never had one at home. She always was the one to take care of me. When I was younger, when we got home it was the two of us with a maid making us dinner and cleaning. Sometimes she had a lady maid, but a lot of time the one maid also helped dress Mother. Except for maybe a babysitter here and there, she never wanted anyone but her to care for me.”

 

“She really does love you. I mean, she loves all the children in the home, but you were her special one, so it doesn’t surprise me that she wanted to raise you without handing you off to a nanny,” Ryo replied. “I know I had nannies, but that was only when they had to travel, even if they took me along. Otherwise my parents would take me to the galley.”

 

They met the driver for the lorry and handed over the boxes. “So tell me, Dee, I know your aversion to hiring help out of work, but couldn’t you have paid to have a few extra guys to finish this today?”

 

“We only have a few more boxes and we’re done,” Dee replied. “At least we had the other guys willing to help us out yesterday.”

 

“Yup, and then we had to feed them,” Ryo said with a laugh.

 

“I told you yesterday I was not going to allow either of us to attempt to feed a small army with things the way it is in the kitchen, so pizza delivery it was,” Dee said.

 

“Speaking of, do you know what surprises me? That both you and Mother know how to cook.”

 

“Mother didn’t cook at home because that was one of the things we did around the home. And then when I lived with Jack and Ianto, we all cooked. Then I went to university in Japan and lived with roommates. We all had to cook. I could have afforded to eat out every night, but not my roommates, so I didn’t want to make them feel bad. Once a week, we’d go out.”

 

“And how you learnt to cook Japanese so well?” Ryo asked.

 

“Guilty,” Dee said with a laugh. “I enjoyed the experience of shopping and making Japanese food. Sometimes we’d do Korean and Thai. C’mon, let’s get the last few boxes down.”

 

“Then tomorrow I’ll have some cleaners come in and get the place presentable to show to perspective tenants. And don’t worry if I don’t get a renter by the time we have to leave. I’m letting an estate agent deal with it.”

 

“Okay. Up we go, then down, then up and down.”

 

“A couple more of those we’ll be done. And you’ll be stuck with me and Bikky.”

 

“You can’t be stuck with what you want,” Dee replied with a smile, “and yes, that does include Bikky. Oh, I already ordered dinner from Zabar’s and they’ll be delivering. The kitchen is still in no condition for attempts at cooking,” said Dee. “At least the dining room hasn’t been buried under.”

 

“That’s because it’s on a level on its own,” Ryo said. “I guess we’ll hold off opening the boxes with the dinnerware you wanted me to take. We’re going to lose the dining room until everything is put away.”

 

“Unpack the dinnerware after we get the kitchen squared away. Got it,” Dee remarked.

 

They headed back into the building to get the last of the Ryo’s belongings that he wanted to take with him.

 

OoOoOoO

 

 

Monday morning found the core team of the 27th Sector in a frenzy of activity. They were to leave for their training in two days, and while they would be back two days later in present time, Dee had a list of things he wanted finalized by the time they left. That included having the schedules for training in New York City. Dee received word from Ianto that a team of instructors were about to leave Cardiff for New York to commence training on how to handle Weevils. In their office on Monday morning, Dee and Ryo discussed the situation in length on their weekly video touch base, supplementing the reports and summaries they have given previously. At one point Drake and Ted were called in to give details on Drake’s sonic barrier idea, along with costs to develop and a timeline on when they could start implementing if given the go ahead.

 

The cost of development made Dee worry that the project would not be approved. It overextended their Research and Development budget for the year. They also would need cooperation from the city government with installing. That would include shutting down stations for the duration while the barriers would be installed. The public would not be happy, especially since the transit department was slow in communicating closures even if they would know in advance the installation schedule with the hours expected to be closed. Ryo had pointed out that they should be generous in the estimation by a few hours just in case of unexpected situations that could delay completion.

 

Dee and Ryo were voicing their concerns to Ianto and Jack during the meeting.

 

“Rose all but shut it down when he saw our budget,” Dee stated, “and to be honest, as much as I hate to say this, but I can see his reasoning. It will be expensive. The only reason why it wasn’t shut down yet is because Chief reminded him that this would be your decision.”

 

“So you agree it’s expensive?” Ianto asked in a reasonable tone. Dee and Ryo knew their boss and one of Dee’s mentors enough to know he was not asking the question to find justification to shut it down. He was feeling out the situation and their thoughts on the issue.

 

“It is,” Dee admitted, “but it’s also necessary. I asked R&D to look into how to cut some costs in development without compromising quality, but the preliminary report from them doesn’t cut it by much. Anymore and we’ll be dealing with a system that just might not work as we want it to.”

 

“So you don’t dare make much more cuts than you have?” Jack asked.

 

“No. It would be a waste of resources if we spend the time and money and we still end up with casualties because of Weevil attacks,” Ryo replied.

 

“I agree,” Ianto said. “If we do this, I don’t believe we should accept the revised version. So tell me why you feel we need to put out all this money?”

 

“There is no price on the protection of citizens under our jurisdiction,” Dee stated, conviction in his voice. “All citizens of this city can be a victim of a Weevil attack. Some of our potential victims may be Human, but Weevils are not. This makes it Torchwood’s responsibility to protect all innocents.”

 

“I’m with Dee,” Ryo backed up his partner. “I feel the same way. I know we can’t prevent all possible scenarios of a Weevil attack, especially with a city of this size unless we can capture all the Weevils. We also accept that while that is our main objective, it’s not as realistic as taking measures to prevent any major incidents.”

 

“I am toying with the idea of a first phase of installation of sonic barriers,” Dee said.

  
“As opposed to all of them?” Ianto asked.

 

“Well, for one thing, we can’t get them all installed at the same time,” Dee explained. “And if we get the go ahead from the transit agency, I still have to forecast this project taking place over a month to three months, depending on the spacing of each installation.”

 

“Yes, it does depend on what the transit agency does agree on. It could be one a day or one a week,” Ianto said.

 

“I hope not one a week,” Dee stated with a shiver. “That would take months!”

 

“I pulled up a list of all subway stations in the system,” Ianto said. “I assume we are not looking at any elevated stations?”

 

“No. I’m not saying a Weevil won’t go running up the stairs to the platform, but elevated stations are going to be classified with roaming street patrol,” Dee replied.

 

“Makes sense. So you were saying something about breaking up this project in phases?” Ianto asked.

 

“Yes, but we had to consider which parameters to determine stations we should concentrate on before others,” Dee replied. “Do we pick the most populated, which means more potential victims if a Weevil wanders in? Or the less populated? Having more people can lead to more injuries, but the larger numbers, a Weevil can potentially be scared off or even subdued. Meanwhile a less populated station will mean less potential victims but also more likely a target. We had discussions on pros and cons with the rest of the team.”

 

“And you decided on?” Ianto asked.

 

“More,” Ryo replied.

 

“And why’s that?” Jack asked.

 

“The Weevil doesn’t have to get close to cause injury,” Ryo said. “A Weevil doesn’t even have to strike.”

 

“Yeah, we all saw general reactions of a Weevil. All it needs to do is wander on a platform and there could be mass panic,” Dee added.

 

“I have to agree to go where the numbers are,” Ianto replied. “Now I need to know, and to be quite honest, now that we’ll have your thoughts along with figures in a report, I intend to get in touch with Director Rose. The way I’m looking at this, and if I was sitting in his office, I would take serious consideration in your reasoning for wanting this. I would probably have already been thinking about it myself, which I have been, I’ll admit. So we’re both in absolute agreement on why this project has to be implemented. Of course, I’m also concerned about costs, but I’ll be willing to work with the UN on getting a budget increase on this. That should be Director Rose’s job, but I trust I’ll have more success with this than he would, if he would be so inclined to undertake this task. Jack and I will pay the office holding your purse strings a visit while we’re there.”

 

“Not to cut you off, but why are you both coming here this week?” Ryo asked. “And staying here instead of overseeing our training, which I would have thought you would do if you did feel you had to leave Cardiff for this?”

 

“Simple,” Jack replied. “Someone has to run the 27th Sector while the entire command team is away.”

 

“And someone needs to keep an eye on Director Rose from doing something shady while you are both away,” Ianto remarked. “I still don’t have enough justification to remove him from his position, but he keeps going the way he is, I will. And that’s between the four of us for now. So far, he has not looked far enough beyond his own office and comfort to make this project happen, and now Jack and I need to step in. Not good for him.

 

“I’m going to approve for this project to go forward, and I also agree with it being broken into phases. We might not have to cover all stations, but we will need to step up roaming patrols, by both Torchwood’s 27th Sector agents and the NYPD. We must get them to agree with working with us on this and if they were smart, they would do so easily. After all, their motto is to “Protect and Serve”. If we can get the NYPD to take measures to have uniform patrols trained in handling Weevils on duty, then that would cut some of our costs overall,” Ianto explained. “This should not be only Torchwood’s responsibility, but if it comes to it, it will have to be. We will do our best, however, to get other agencies involved. Dee, when you get back from training, you and I are going to have to make our rounds and get others on our cause. Ryo, you won’t be idle either. Jack has some ideas and you can assist him with it.”

 

“I take it you’ll be using the fast method to get here then?” Dee asked.

 

“Our instructors are leaving later today, with expected arrival to be this weekend,” Ianto replied. “They’ll be taking the usual mode of travel via a Torchwood airship. Jack and I will be using the fast method and plan for arrival at your location hopefully a few hours before your departure on Wednesday. We will be arriving quietly, because if at all possible, we do not want Director Rose to know we’re here. So say nothing to anyone, even your team, that we will be here. The less who know, the more successful we will be in the good Director of Torchwood New York believing there is no one to watch out for the 27th Sector’s best interests. Yes, I know Director Smith will be overseeing the running of it, but we all know if Rose wants to, he will find a way to get around him. Rose’s threats to you of late makes me believe that he is looking for an opportunity to remove you, Dee. And that is unacceptable.”

 

Jack chuckled and said, “We might have let it slip that we are planning to join your team for training and leaving in advance to meet you when your team arrives. Let’s keep it that way until we decide to reveal ourselves. Just treat our arrival as one of your VIP transports, which of course, means you do not have to reveal who is arriving.”

 

It was how Torchwood handled any vacations taken in the future by celebrities to keep the press and fans from converging on Torchwood grounds in hopes of getting holographs and meeting them. Many politicians also preferred anonymity when using Torchwood’s travel services. VIP status did not necessarily mean someone high up in the Torchwood ranks. It was used for anyone what any type of status within government, society and Torchwood who preferred to keep their travels quiet.

 

Dee was glad that despite Ianto and Jack being the ultimate Torchwood leaders, they did not require any of the special treatment that many of the VIPs expected. Being that they wanted their arrival to be extra secret meant only logging in the arrival with an approximate time to reserve a chamber and then first thing on Wednesday to give the incoming coordinates. Thankfully that meant not to have more to add on his list of things to be done until departure.

 

“I wish I could convince the Doctor to fix my Vortex Manipulator to make things easier,” Jack said. “Especially since he broke it the first chance he had.”

 

Ianto let out a heavy sigh. “It’s not as if we don’t have time travel available to us. He just likes to watch us go through the proper channels like everyone else. He prefers controlled time travel.”

 

“As if we can’t come and go as we wish being we’re in charge of everything,” Jack scoffed. “But I don’t mind going through the channels for time travel. I just wish we could get around to all the different Torchwoods with less hassle. Be nice to just push a button and be there. We might get from one place to another faster than airship travel, usually within a day present time, but we still have to travel from one location to the one we want to arrive at in present time. Thankfully we can go far enough to get from one location to another using faster means of transport than we have here.”

 

“Maybe, if we’re lucky, we’ll get our chance to attempt to convince him in fixing it for Jack,” Ianto said. “I left a message for the Doctor about our situation, along with the preliminary reports on your solution. I’m hoping if he feels up to it, he could possibly produce the ground work for the sonic barriers in the TARDIS, which could further cut costs for us. I am willing to approve production even if I have to pay out of my own pockets, but the more places we can get funds, the happier I’ll be. So we’ll try to get the UN to at least give us some of the funds for the budget, if not approve covering the amount over the budget. We’ll also work on getting the Lord Mayor on board by providing some funds, along with the NYPD finding some of their budget to put to it.”

 

“Plus we’ll have the Transit Agency to bank on, and even if we get just one agency to go with it, then we hope the Doctor can still reduce costs,” Dee said. “I like that. But Ianto, are you certain about funding it all if that’s our only choice?”

 

“Jack and I can cover it, providing we have time to travel and collect from our various holdings through time. Thankfully we have some lucrative investments with profits that would replenish what we take out within a year or so,” Ianto explained.

 

Ryo cleared his throat. “My parents have holdings in the future that I am yet to look into. I just never had the time. But I can look into it, and if need, also contribute.”

 

“I have my trust fund,” Dee added. “What I touched from it, I invested. Mostly here on Earth, but I did invest in a couple of ventures in the future mostly not on Earth. And as much as I hate to consider it, but if I mention us not having the funds for this, I know Mother will want to contribute, because that’s just my mother.”

 

“Well then,” Ianto said, “if it comes to it, I believe we can still fund this project. Let’s hope it won’t come to it.”

 

“I’ll be willing to cover any shortages we might come up with, now that you planted this idea in my mind,” Dee said.

 

“You see, Dee and Ryo, this is why you are both destined for higher offices in Torchwood. You think like Jack and I do. We see the whole picture and how Torchwood fits into it and will do anything to achieve that objective,” Ianto stated.

 

“Almost anything,” Jack corrected. “I’ll do whatever I can as long as it doesn’t take away from our children.”

 

“That should go without saying,” Ryo assured Jack. “Bikky may not be my biological son, but I feel exactly the same way.”

 

“So something tells me that we best plan a day or two of rest before returning because we’re going to be very busy when we we’re back,” Dee said.

 

“That would be best,” Ianto replied. “I did mention taking a day or so for some activities with the kiddies when you first mentioned your plan.”

 

“You did, and now I understand why. Okay, we’ll move our return date up by a few days,” Dee agreed as he looked at Ryo. “So, did we cover everything for now? We still have much to do around here and we better get back to it.”

 

“Among which is getting our newest employee settled and not feel like he’s just an extra out of pity,” Ryo added.

 

“I know that Rose has the day off tomorrow to handle some personal business,” Ianto said, “so we’re going to discuss some things I expect you both to do tomorrow before we’re done here. Now, Rollie Hollenswag. How is he doing? And do you actually have a position in mind for him?” Ianto asked.

 

“He’s doing well enough,” Dee replied, “but so far we had the team give him odd jobs, such as filing, keeping us in coffee and running inter-departmental errands.”

 

“Sounds like what my counterpart in that alternate world had done for a couple of years before he became a field agent,” Ianto mused.

 

“Probably but Rollie can’t do coffee like you can,” Dee said with a laugh. “We have coffee dispensers around here, so he just fills cups and nothing more. But I sense he feels he’s just doing things to give him something to do.”

 

“You did hire him on entry level and give him base pay, didn’t you?” Jack asked.

 

“Yes, I did, and that does justify what he’s doing,” Dee answered, “but Rollie is a man who may have worked hard, but that’s just it. He worked hard manual labor and felt a purpose for it. He’s not doing that now. However, I don’t want him to go back to working his ass off like he was on his other jobs, so I want to watch him for a day or two, and see if we can better place him. Hopefully somewhere that he could start climbing the ranks at some point.”

 

“We have him in the 27th Sector for now only to observe him for a while, but we’re planning on loaning him to other sectors and see how he does,” Ryo replied. “We are thinking he’ll eventually be assigned in Logistics. If he ends up preferring to load, we’ll have him loading airships or something, but at least he won’t have to work the long hours to make what he did previously.”

 

“I trust right now he’s making more than he was with all this jobs?” Ianto asked.

 

“Yes, entry pay in Torchwood is a bit higher than his combined earnings,” Dee replied. “We also need to sit down with both him and his wife tonight and let them see the options for permanent housing we have for him. Over the weekend Mother came up with several options for them.”

 

“Maria offered one of her flats, didn’t she?” Ianto asked amused.

 

“More than one, but not for free, although I suspect they wouldn’t be paying rent if I didn’t insist on them paying something in. We’re only giving him a chance to get ahead, not hand things to him on a platter without a price,” Dee said. “He also needs to be reminded from time to time that he is Torchwood property until we determine so as his sentence for killing a living being using an illegal weapon. Even if said living being was a Blowfish.”

 

“We can’t deny Blowfish citizenship because while they are troublesome, as a race they had never proven to aspire to invading,” Ryo stated.

 

“Only that there are more of them prone to be involved in illegal activities and causing property damage,” Ianto stated. “I do understand, because we have the same problem. However I do know of several very lovely Blowfish families who contribute to society more than create chaos and destruction. I also have given thought and do believe that some of our more mischievous Blowfish may have something to do with your Weevil problems. I have no evidence, but observations around the city do suggest that would be our most likely suspect.”

 

“We also started inventory on our tagged Weevils and have come up short by 16. We suspect that you have them in New York. We’ll send you the information to track them down, but since Weevils tend to stay in packs, you might even stumble upon more than our tagged Weevils. Are you still planning on a holding facility for them?” Jack asked.

 

“Yes we are. I’m still looking over several properties to select from. Conditions will be no less suitable than the places Weevils have been known to make residence in,” Dee replied, “which makes it much easier than housing other sentient beings. Unlike in Cardiff, we can’t just tag and let Weevils roam in the sewers. We are already aware of the problems they impose on this city. We will be tagging as we capture just in case of an escape.”

 

“I’ll want to tour the properties when we’re there,” Ianto said. “Not that we don’t trust you. We do know both of you have plenty of experience and knowledge on Weevils, but I do have more, and would just like to make sure there would not be any problems. I intend to give you some points that would hopefully make your final decision easier.”

 

“While they do kill and maim, we also understand they seem to do so when they feel they are under attack and to protect their own. It’s their nature. It can’t be helped. They are living beings, so we have orders that killing Weevils are only when there are no other options. We’re not going to commit genocide because we’re unable to communicate with them,” Dee explained.

 

“Director Rose, however, is making noise that he does not approve our directive on Weevils and plan to override them, replacing them with shoot to kill. He’s not happy with the facility idea either,” Ryo explained. “He’s been making noise that we’re wasting our time because he won’t approve Torchwood funds to start it.”

 

“Of course he’s not,” Ianto replied. “And that will go into my file on him along with my thoughts about it. Mr. Rose wanted the positon for power only and he managed to somehow bribe his way into the position while we were not in present time. He waited only because if we were here, Jack and I would never have approved his promotion.”

 

“Who did?” Ryo asked, because that was never made known.

 

“The previous Director of Torchwood New York, because he was convinced it was better to step down. It is not entirely unreasonable for a Director to name their replacements. We do have a grace period to oppose the appointment. Mr. Rose picked a time for his ascension into his position during a time that we would not be available until after the grace period was over. So now we’re just building up enough data to use to ask him to step out and to do so without him being able to name his successor,” Ianto explained. “So, we’ll let you get back to work there in a few minutes. We also have a lot to do before our travels.”

 

“Will you be bringing the family?” Dee asked.

 

“Yes we will, and they are looking forward to spending time with Maria at the Children’s home during the hours we will be working.”

 

“We’re looking forward to seeing everyone then. See you in a couple of days,” Dee said.

 

“What Dee said,” Ryo added.

 

They discussed the things Ianto expected Dee and Ryo to do the next day and then they closed off the communication and sat back staring at each other. “From the way Ianto’s talking, sounds like the Walrus will be up for another promotion soon,” Dee stated.

 

“And that’s all that you got out of that communication?” Ryo asked.

 

“It’s what I seem to get out of all our communication with Ianto and Jack, but it’s not all,” Dee replied. “Speaking of, we have a lot to cover over the next couple of days. So let’s get on it.”

 

Ryo smiled at Dee. “I see living together still means you giving orders to me while at work.”

 

“Sure,” Dee replied with a grin. “Because we both know who’s the boss when we’re not on duty.” He winked at Ryo and stood up to head out of the office.

 

Ryo had to laugh as he stood up to follow Dee.

 

 

OoOoOoO

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dee and Ryo take the Hollenswag family for dinner at Madam Lane's townhouse.

CHAPTER EIGHT

 

It was after six o’clock when Dee and Ryo called it a night that day with the rest of the command team. The shift change was at four pm, and along with the 1st shift leaving for the day was Rollie. Many of the other sectors in Torchwood had only one shift, with duty teams who stayed on call should it be needed. The 27th Sector was the center of Torchwood and at any time of the day there would be a need for a response team. Most of the time it was nothing major, but if it involved any of the 1.1 million aliens in New York State, there had to be a team to respond, whether the alien was a victim or criminal. 

Dee and Ryo went to the housing section of the tower to meet up with Rollie and his family and take them over to Maria’s for dinner and to look at the flats she was willing to rent to them. They had an airbus waiting for the family to use because Dee could not fit the whole family in his aircar, and it would take too long to go by carriage up to Maria’s townhouse. Dee wanted to get home for the night at a decent time. Bikky had school the next day, and they had a busy day that Dee and Ryo wanted to be in early for. They had to be ready for departure by the end of the day, and make a stop at Bikky’s school to get his lessons for the rest of the week.

Ryo rang the bell and smiled as Sueki Hollenswag answered the door. She looked different than the last time they had visited the suite. She wore a blue gingham blouse with a high lace collar with a long dark blue skirt. Over the blouse she had a midnight blue jacket with puffed shoulders and flared out a little at the waist going down to her hips. Her hair was pulled back in her usual bun, but had two sparkling hair pins, one on each side, sweeping her hair back.

“Good evening Mrs. Hollenswag,” Dee greeted, bowing slightly. “You look lovely tonight. I trust you’re all settling in?”

“Oh yes we are. Please come in. Rollie is getting the children ready to leave. Please excuse us for not being ready,” Mrs. Hollenswag said as she opened the door further and stepped aside to let them in.

“It’s no problem, Mrs. Hollenswag,” Ryo assured her. “I can understand how it can be at times with just one teen.”

Dee smiled at her. “I know how it can be with several little ones too,” he said. “I still help out when I have time at my mother’s children’s home.”

“I met your mother, Director Laytner,” Mrs. Hollenswag said. “She’s a very lovely woman and most generous. I’m wearing one of the gorgeous outfits she had given me. Please sit. Can I get you something to drink?”

“We’re good,” Dee assured her, “but thank you.”

They heard giggling coming from the other room, along with Rollie’s cry of, “Will you stay still!”

Ryo laughed. “Sounds like dealing with Bikky over the years.”

“We may have only one, but he can be like seven when he wants to,” Dee stated. “But he’s a good kid.”

“You’ll meet him when we get to Madam Lane’s home,” Ryo said. “He went after school to the Children’s Home. Many of his friends live there and they end up helping around with the tiny mites.”

“He does sound like a good boy,” Mrs. Hollenswag remarked. “Does he go out with his friends?”

“He plays rugby, and he’s been getting into this new game called basketball,” Dee explained. “And then there’s Carol. They’ve been friends since before Ryo took Bikky in. They do a lot together. So much that she’s practically a part of our family even if she lives with her aunt.”

“That’s nice. I hope for our family to be able to find a safe place to play. I would take them to the park when I could, but I did not like them playing in the street. I always feared they would run into the street, or someone would hurt them or take them.”

“That’s understandable,” Ryo agreed.

“There will be somewhere for the children to play if you take one of the flats Mother has to offer,” Dee said. “Did Mr. Hollenswag tell you that the one that would work best for your family won’t be available until the end of the year? We might be able to get you in during the holidays, but probably too close to do any decorating.”

“Your people bought over the rest of our belongings over the weekend. They were kind enough to bring everything over to a warehouse and we were able to go through it all. They did not want to throw out something of personal value just because it was damaged. We were grateful for that. We did lose a lot, but I still have some memories of the children growing up. We also have most of our holiday decorations, most of it we made ourselves, including the children. To someone else, it might not look like much but because it was made with love by our children, to Rollie and me, they are the loveliest decorations ever.”

“No problem with using the decorations made by your children, but Rollie would be able to afford buying something to add to them,” Ryo stated.

“Or buy things from a craft store so your family can make more,” Dee said.

“That sounds wonderful, Director Laytner. I think we prefer to still make our decorations. It is a tradition of ours. We also celebrate the Solstice rather than Christmas, so we will most likely be done with our holiday.”

“Just to let you know, if you do choose that flat, then you are welcome to stay here until then,” Dee explained.

“Rollie had also told me about your generosity,” Mrs. Hollenswag stated. “And I am most grateful. I see the apology in your faces for us having to stay here, but know that this suite is more than I ever imagined having, so we have no problem staying here until we can move into whatever accommodations we are able to get.”

Dee’s smile was wide and bright. “Just you wait until you see the flats we’re going to show you, especially the one my mother believes will be best suited for a family of your size. I told Mr. Hollenswag today and now I’m telling you, when you see the flats, do not let the first thought be that you can’t afford it. I assure you that you will be able to, no matter which one you pick. Are we good?”

Mrs. Hollenswag nodded her head vigorously. “We are very much good.”

The door to the children’s room opened and they ambled into the sitting room. The boys were dressed in dark denim short trousers. Each boy wore a different colored shirt, and they all had on new hooded coats. On their heads were newspaper boy hats. They wore new black shoes. The girls had candy striped knee length dresses with white Peter Pan collars that were trimmed with lace, including at the hem, under solid colored pinafores and white wool stockings. They also had new coats with faux fur collars and hoods. Their hair was in braids and tied with new ribbons.

Dee studied the children as he smiled at them, and was glad for the different colored shirts and dresses because they all were close enough in looks that otherwise would have made it difficult to tell them apart – once he learned all their names, that was.

Rollie joined his family in the room and came up to Dee. “Once again, I am most grateful for all you are doing for us. It is more than we thought when we were awakened by that horrid aircar crashing into our flat.” He was dressed in a brown wool suit with knickers tucked into knee length brown boots that tied up the length, with a beige tie and black ascot. In his hand was a dark brown derby hat.

“It’s no problem,” Dee replied. “It is Torchwood’s job to help any non-human in need the best we can.”

“I never really believed that,” Rollie admitted. “It’s hard when you are living in the conditions we were, but after today I also understand that you cannot help everyone as you are helping us, but what Torchwood is able to do really does protect those whose origins are not of this planet. And I am most proud to be part of that organization now.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Dee stated. “And Ryo will agree with me when I say that you do work as hard as we heard you did. Eventually we will find something that you can settle into and grow within the organization. Just because this is your sentence does not mean you have to do menial tasks, such as you did today, and you do have the same chances of promotion as anyone else in Torchwood.”

“I was very impressed with your work today,” Ryo said, “and we’re not the only ones who noticed how much you like to help. Plus you do it with a smile.”

“Comparing to the work conditions I’m used to, it is easy to smile. Again I am most grateful for this chance,” Rollie stated.

“So, shall we go for some dinner and then look at flats?” Dee asked.

“You’re the boss,” Rollie replied. “Lead on.”

Dee and Ryo led the family down to the airship station. The top half of the high structure, which was situated at the pier owned by Torchwood at the end of W. 24th Street, was for airships while the lower half had a platform for airbuses and air-taxis. They arrived on the airbus platform in time to watch an airbus with the Torchwood logo on it pull up. The adults laughed at the children’s reactions when they realized they were not up there just to watch the airbuses and got excited. It took all four adults plus the two crewmen to safely board the children. Mrs. Hollenswag apologized for their behavior, explaining that the children never had been on an airbus before. The only mode of transportation they would take was the subway when they didn’t walk.

Dee realized what else the family would have to be provided with. This family was now his responsibility and he would see they have the standard luxuries the average working family had. He added an item to his To-Do list for the next day, and that was to make time to go to the transportation pool and see if he could get a carriage for the family’s use.

 

OoOoOoO

 

Sueki Hollenswag was worried about everyone fitting in Madam Lane’s flat for dinner, especially knowing that Director Laytner’s and Sub-Director MacLean’s son and his friend were to be there. She knew that there were people with larger flats than the one they had called home, but even those people usually had normal dining tables. For her own family, they had taken to sitting on the floor in the main room of their two room flat using snack trays for the lap. She normally would set the low, foldable trays together to make a larger surface for the children to eat off with minimal mess. She doubted someone like Maria Lane would resort to sitting on the floor for meals. She also worried about the mess the children might make. She knew her children enough that despite her telling them all that day that they were to be on their best behavior that they were only children and were prone to making messes when eating. She knew about the Children’s Home that Madam Lane ran, but she still could not imagine Madam Lane allowing children to make a mess during their meals.

Sueki Hollenswag saw Madam Lane as a warm and kind person, quick with a smile and abundant with generosity. The older woman was a philanthropist but did not do what she did for the glory. She genuinely believed that it was right to share some of her fortune to give someone in need the smallest comfort at the least, but at times gave much more. Mrs. Hollenswag had learned that when not overseeing the Children’s Home, Madam Lane would busy herself with fundraising, and was very good with talking other people of wealth into releasing some of their own money into charities to help the poor. The Lord Mayor had many times attempted to hold a reception in her honor and give her an award for all she had done for orphans and the homeless, but she always turned the invitation down, and warned the Lord Mayor that if he still went ahead with the reception she would not show up. The only time she had made an appearance, she showed up with a group of homeless aliens insisting they eat whatever they wanted and to fill the totes she had provided with more food to take with them. She then proceeded up to the podium to accept her award and thanked the Lord Mayor and his office for feeding the poor starving people who had a good meal that evening.

The only honors bestowed upon her that she would be present for were the years she had been elected the Queen of the Hydrus Dragon Festival. Originally the festival was started by Rymorians when they were few and the first few years it was only for them. The Hydrus Dragon was the primary Rymorian deity. Eventually other races who also shared worshipping the Hydrus Dragon joined in. Over the years, the festival grew from a half day to a ten day celebration and opened to everyone. In the last few years, people from around the world traveled to be in New York City during the festival, and even attracted off world passenger ships. It had become a New York based celebration of the various cultures that made up the city. It also had become customary for the festival committee to elect someone from the city who had assisted the aliens in city. Maria had been elected for many years, and accepted the position and would be at all the appointments and appearances throughout the 10 days, enjoying the entire experience. She would have been the Queen of the Festival many other years than she had, but she accepted only every few years, wanting others who contributed to the community to have their chance.

That was the type of person Madam Lane was, and Mrs. Hollenswag saw where Director Laytner had gotten his soft spot for wanting to do what he was able for the less fortunate from. He was raised with the mentality that rich people had a responsibility to help those less fortunate. The Hollenswags found themselves as the latest recipients of first Director Laytner’s need to assist the less fortunate and then by his mother. She knew if her husband was single or not the good man that he was, they would not be sitting on this airbus, attempting to calm her excited and happy children, on their way to look at some flats that had more than two rooms and were in very good neighborhoods.

She also saw Madam Lane as a refined and elegant lady, and she knew enough of the upper classes to know ladies do not allow anyone to eat on the floors. She heard enough in passing from ladies from time to time on the streets when she would venture with her family for a day in Central Park to know to a lady, eating on the floor would be barbaric.

The airbus landed on a rooftop platform of a parking structure. As they disembarked from the airbus, Director Laytner explained that the roof was used as temporary parking for dropping off and picking up passengers, and that it was also a scheduled stop for several of the public transit lines. The upper levels of the structure were for parking aircars, while the lower levels were for parking steam and horse-drawn carriages. Both her and her husband could not understand how one would get a carriage beyond the ground floor and asked the two men who were now her husband’s bosses.

As they got off the lift on the ground floor, the two men walked them through the ground level and pointed out an angled ramp that went from the ground floor to the first. Currently there was a steam carriage chugging up the gentle upward slope of the ramp to find parking somewhere on the second level. Director Laytner said that the structure was used for parking for the residents for the four square blocks of fancy townhouses and elegant multi-family buildings. The Director explained that it helped alleviate parking on the streets, even if there were still some vehicles parked along the curbs. Most of the townhouses had carriage houses in the back of the buildings, but some of the other buildings had 10 – 30 flats each and the building offered a place the residents could always find a place to park, rather than having to drive around the streets, looking for a place to park. 

Sub-Director MacLean had also pointed out the stables that had run along the inner side of the structure where horses could be cared for and kept when not attached to a carriage. The children of course wanted to see the horses, and the two Directors were kind enough to indulge them for a few minutes and even enlisted the assistance of a groom to give each child a chance to sit on a horse for a few minutes. Mrs. Hollenswag was worried about what the owner of the horses would think, and Director Laytner assured her that the three horses they were using belonged to his mother and she never minded children to be around the horses. Director Laytner explained how most of the children growing up in the home knew how to ride horses, himself included, and then added when little Bradley had asked him, that when he was ten, he had gone to riding academy for two years after school and even spent a summer near the Hamptons where he was able to ride a horse other than in Central Park.

Sub-Director MacLean also said that he had also had riding lessons because riding academy was part of the private school he had gone to.

The group stood at the grand stone stairs leading up to the entrance of a stately gothic gray stone townhouse that looked almost like a small castle – not that the three story home was small, but it was comparing to a proper castle. There was even a tower which included the entrance and the rounded section went up along the three stories and became a turret adding a smaller forth story. Along the roof and the higher tower section were small stones set to give the appearance of a small scale battlement. The wide stairs were made of the same gray stone as the rest of the building.

Rollie was staring up at the townhouse from the sidewalk, gawking, while the children chattered excitedly about finally seeing a castle. Sueki was just as gobsmacked as she looked at the townhouse. Rollie finally pulled his attention from the building to look at his boss. “You grew up here?” he asked Director Laytner.

The Director smirked and replied, “You should see the house he grew up in,” as he jerked a thumb in Sub-Director MacLean’s direction.

“Wow,” was all Rollie said in response.

Sueki found she could not find the right words to express her impression of the home and decided her husband’s reply summed it all up. “Wow,” she repeated. She could see Rollie sizing up the structure that currently only one person lived in, as far as they knew, and how their own family could utilize the space. She understood why he would be, but she felt ashamed that from the look on his face, it was obvious what was going through his mind.

Director Laytner smiled and winked at Sub-Director MacLean and went up the stairs toward the wooden door that was rounded on the top with two panels of stained glass, one panel on the upper level and one on the lower. There was an ornate and very expensive door handle in brass also on the door, and the doorbell was also set in very fancy plating.

By the time Director Laytner was ringing the doorbell, it was just after seven o’clock. Sueki had to wonder why the Director did not just enter the house, as it was also his childhood home.

They waited almost a minute before the door was opened by a woman with blond hair pulled up with a maid’s cap edged in lace covering her head. She wore a pink linen pinstripe dress with a high white collar and long sleeves with white cuffs under a white ruffled apron. She smiled as she saw Dee. She had bright blue eyes and a pert nose with high cheeks and gave the appearance of someone who was always smiling.

Sueki determined that even if the maid lived in a servants’ quarters, she was still living much better than her family had been, and suddenly found herself longing to always have something at least like what their temporary housing was like. She discovered she did not want to go back to the cramped living conditions and if given the opportunity through the gracious generosity of Madam Lane and Director Laytner, she would just have to come up with other ways to maintain the family closeness that she had always prided herself off.

“Good evening Master Dee,” the maid greeted with what seemed like sisterly affection. She looked over to Sub-Director MacLean. “Master Ryo,” she added. Her attention went to the Hollenswags. “Mr. and Mrs. Hollenswag, you are most welcome to our home.” She opened the door further and stood next to it as Director Laytner entered the grand foyer that was large enough to hold everyone once Rollie entered behind the last child, but not much more. Being it was part of the tower, the walls curved. The ceiling was high. 

“May I take everyone’s hats and coats?” Amanda asked, holding out her arms to accept the outerwear.

Little Jonny, another of her three sons, tugged on Rollie’s coat. “Dada, why is she taking our coats?” he asked, his lower lip trembling. “We just got them and its cold.”

Rollie looked down at his son and with a tender look scooped this child up into his arms. “Oh Jonny, you silly boy. The nice lady is only going to keep our coats safe until we leave. It feels quite warm and cozy in here and you’ll be hot in no time if you wear your coat.”

“I wanna hold onto it,” Jonny replied, his lip quivering more and his big eyes starting to glisten.

Rollie looked at the maid and Director apologetically. “Is it okay if he keeps it? It’s kinda become a security blanket to him since he got it.”

Director Laytner smiled at the little boy and went over to him. “If you want to keep your coat, you may,” he said, as Sueki removed her coat and waited as Sub-Director MacLean handed the pretty maid his coat and hat. The Director had already handed his over. The coat was hanging on a hook of the very ornate brass coat rack set near the door next to a beautiful old chest that had a bouquet of cut lilies in a pearl vase on it, both looked to come from the Orient. A small gold rack ran horizontal over the chest with hooks that held keys and kept hats on the shelves.

Jonny nodded his head.

“I’ll tell you what though,” Director Laytner continued. “As your Dada said, it is very warm in here. There’s even a fireplace in the dining room. So why don’t you take off your coat and you can hold it. Will that be okay?”

Little Jonny nodded his head again.

“Can I take your hat, little Sir?” the maid asked coming over to them.

Once again, Jonny nodded his head. With a laugh, the Director lifted the hat from the little boy’s head and handed it to the maid. “Mother always says a gentleman takes off his hat once he’s inside,” he said.

Jonny looked at Dee. “I ain’t no gentman, I’m a boy.”

Sub-Director MacLean let out a laugh. “Geez, he sounds like you from stories Mother told me when you were their age,” he said to his partner.

“Did you hear the young lady call you sir?” The Director asked Jonny with a tender smile. “She only calls gentleman that, and little boys can be gentlemen too. So my mother always said when I was your age.”

“Okay Mr. Director,” and made a motion letting his father know he wanted down. Once Rollie set him on his feet, the little boy allowed the Director to help take off his coat, while Rollie was able to take off his along with his hat. Sub-Director MacLean assisted Sueki with removing the coats from the remaining children, and one by one they ended up hanging on the coat rack, almost filling it completely. The children’s and Rollies hats were set carefully on top of each other, and next to the neat pile were two top hats. Director Laytner folded Jonny’s coat carefully and set it over the child’s arm, who then pulled his arm toward his body and hugged it tightly.

“I’m so sorry for this,” Sueki apologized. “It’s just they never had coats as nice as these and he just got attached from the start.” She smiled at Director Laytner. “He loves his coat that much, and I’m sure he’ll be thanking Madam Lane again when we see her.” She gazed down at her son.

“Yup, Mama. I will,” Jonny replied.

”I’m so sorry we’re late, Amanda,” the Director said to the maid.

“That’s quite all right, Master Dee,” Amanda replied. “Madam Lane arrived not more than ten minutes ago with your son and Mistress Carol. Apparently there was a food fight during dinner tonight at the home and she wanted to stay to supervise clean up. Dinner is ready and warming until everyone is ready to sit down.”

“I hope Bikky didn’t have anything to do with it?” Sub-Director MacLean said with a groan.

“From what I heard, he did participate, but he did not start it. It was started by Tommy and Dyonia. I’m afraid that Master Bikky’s clothes were sent to the cleaners,” Amanda replied.

Director Laytner chuckled. “It isn’t dinnertime if there isn’t a food fight at least once a week.” He looked over to his partner. “Which is why we keep extra clothes for Bikky there.”

“And for other things,” Sub-Director MacLean remarked, “as well as keep some here too.”

As they followed Amanda through a wood paneled hallway lit by gaslamps past an arching doorway into the lounge, Sueki could not keep her mouth from hanging. She, of course, knew how the rich people lived, but she had never seen anything but the inside of the tenements buildings and the small flats and shacks that her friends and acquaintances lived in.

“Mama,” Mya, one of her four daughters exclaimed as the child tugged on her skirts, “this is so big! There must be a lot of people living here!”

Director Laytner winked back at Sueki and then to the child, explained, “There are only two people living here right now – my mother and Miss Amanda. Once I lived here along with Mother and we had two people who helped us who lived here like Miss Amanda does.”

“Wow, Master Dee!” Jonny exclaimed. “You lived in a castle!”

Both of Rollie’s bosses laughed as Director Laytner said, “Nah. It only seems like a castle, but castles are much bigger.”

“But this is so big too,” Himyan, their third son stated with all the wisdom of a six year old.

“It is big,” the Director agreed while his partner chuckled, “but nowhere near the size of a castle.”

“Really? How much bigger?”

“Very,” the Director replied.

“Some can be as big as a full city block,” Sub-Director MacLean replied. “Some bigger.”

“Some castles are so big that their outer walls protected entire cities inside them,” Rollie explained. “Just like in the stories I read you about the grand dragons.”

“Oh yeah,” Noonym, the first born of not only their daughters but of the entire litter, said. “I wish we could see castles one day.”

“Keep dreaming, kiddo,” Rollie replied. “And be happy with Castle Belvedere in the park.”

“And this one too!” Bradley stated. “Because we saw it!”

They came to another arch with double wood doors that were open to reveal the dining room. It had a long table in the center of the large room that was longer lengthwise. On the far side of the room were two wide bay windows that went from a foot below the ceiling and stopped about two feet from the floor and had cushioned window benches built before the windows. The drapes were drawn revealing the side panels of each window were stained glass depicting a green field and a sunny day, while the center panes were clear glass looking out into a small terrace. The paneled walls of the room were painted a dark salmon color trimmed in gold gilt ornate edgings. There was a set of double doors on the side of the room leading into the sitting room they had passed, and on the other end was another door which Sueki assumed led into the kitchen. The room was lit by ornate gaslamp sconces on the walls and a large beautiful crystal chandelier over the dining table that used electricity. The drapes had a gold, teal and beige pattern. In between the windows was a long buffet. Over the buffet was a large painting of a young boy with long dark hair and green eyes, which Sueki assumed was the Director when he was a child, with a younger Madam Maria and man who also had dark hair and a mustache. From what Sueki knew of Director Laytner, he was adopted by Madam Lane, so she wondered who the man was.

Director Laytner must have seen the question on her face. “That’s Jess Latener. He was a Torchwood agent who found me when I was a baby in an alley after a Rift alert. He took me to Mother’s home after I was checked out. He kept coming around to do things with me. He was a friend of the family. I was eight when this was painted. I said I wanted for Christmas a painting that made us all look like a proper family. Mother and Jess agreed. When I moved into my flat, I decided it would probably look better here in the dining room, than my flat. Besides, it was painted in this house, so it’s best when I come here, I can look at it and appreciate those times.”

“What happened to him?” Rollie asked.

The Director shrugged nonchalantly. A little too much, perhaps. “He was killed in the line of duty while protecting me. He was the best dad ever.” He smiled fondly as he gazed at the painting.

The table was set with imported fine china settings except for seven places, which had stoneware dishes in bright colors. It might not have been the fine china but it was still much better than Sueki was used to having, even if her family did own a set of stoneware dishes much like the ones on the table. On the chairs of the seven settings were booster seats.

Madam Maria entered the dining room, looking flustered. She was dressed in a blue paisley blouse with a high ruffled neck and matching long skirt. “I apologize for my tardiness, but we had an incident at the home I had to take care of.” She looked over to the Directors. “Nothing serious,” she assured them.

“I heard there was another food fight during dinner,” Director Laytner stated with a knowing smirk.

“Yes, I’m afraid that was it, but children will be children. What can I say?” Madam Lane replied with a smile and then laughed.

“That they will be, Mother,” the Director said and he went over to kiss his mother’s forehead. He turned her slightly toward Sueki’s family, who were all still taking in the room and trying to convince themselves they were really in such a grand and elegant room for a meal. “Mother, you remember Sueki Hollenswag and her children?”

“I do,” Madam Lane said with a smile as she ambled over toward the family. “I do apologize for keeping everyone waiting, but even if we were late in arriving, I had to freshen up and get into something a bit more comfortable.” She turned toward Rollie, “And you must the proud father of these lovely children and husband of this elegant lady. I’m Maria Lane,” she greeted, holding out her hand.

Rollie took her offered hand and raised it to kiss the back of her hand. “I’m honored, Madam Lane, and thank you for your generosity.

Little Jonny came over to stand between Rollie and Madam Lane and held up his coat. “Dada said to thank you, M’am Lane.” He hugged the coat again to him and with wide eyes announced, “I love my new coat!”

“Oh my!” Madam Lane exclaimed pressing her palms together and gazed down at the six year old in fondness. “You are very much welcome, young man. I am so happy you like your coat.”

“I do!”

Sueki stared, horrified as the rest of her children swarmed around Madam Lane, thanking her boisterously for their clothes and toys. 

Director Laytner came over to her and Rollie, standing between them. “Don’t worry about it,” he assured them with a grin. “Mother knows exactly how children are and takes great joy over it. She’s enjoying every moment of being swamped with happy children, so relax.”

“Are you certain, Director Laytner,” Sueki asked. “I know it is proper to give thanks for your mother’s wonderful gifts, but it is hardly proper to attack as they had.”

“Children will do that,” the Director stated. “And before we go any further this evening, please call me Dee. We are contemporaries now.”

Sub-Director MacLean approached them with a smile. “And you can call me Ryo. All my friends do. Rollie, that includes you too.”

“Yup, Rollie. I’m just Dee tonight.”

“Oh no, Director Laytner, I couldn’t,” Rollie exclaimed scandalized. “You are both my bosses.”

“Yeah well, welcome to Torchwood,” Director Laytner said. “You might have noticed we’re mostly on a first name basis unless there is a need to be formal. Most of our staff calls our big bosses Ianto and Jack. So if we can call them on first name basis, the rest of us certainly can. I believe it helps with the bonds some of us need to form in order to get many of our tasks done.”

“Well, if you insist, Di—Dee,” conceded Rollie.

“We do,” Sub-Director MacLean replied with his warm smile. “Please take a seat,” he offered, bringing them over to the dining room table.

“Even if Mother wasn’t already getting your lovely family seated, I guess it’s obvious which settings are for the children,” the Director said with a chuckle. “We use the same type of dishware at the home. You’d be surprised how much of a beating these things can take, as long as you aren’t pitching them as a fastball across a room against a wall, or a stone floor.”

“You didn’t?” Rollie asked, surprised.

“I had learnt two things that day. One, that will break those dishes. And two, it’s really hard to sit down for a couple of days after they break,” the Director remarked.

“Like father, like son,” Sub-Director MacLean laughed.

“Speak of the devil,” Director Laytner said as a dark-skinned teenage boy with long blond hair tied back into a ponytail and big bright blue eyes entered the room with a girl who looked slightly older than him but still a teen. The boy was dressed in a red shirt with his shirt sleeves rolled up and a pair of dark trousers and black leather braces. The girl was wearing a frilly pink top with black polka dots that plunged lower than Sueki would dare under a black leather corset under her bust that was trimmed in pink and had pink straps on the side with silver buckles. The pink trimming in the front crisscrossed to look like it tied up when the actual fastening of her corset was the buckles on the side. She wore a very short black with pink polka dot skirt over an underskirt that went to just above her knees. The underskirt was pink satin with a ruffled edge. 

Sueki had to wonder if she would ever allow her daughters to dress like that. In neighborhoods like Alphabet City, only girls with a shady reputation dressed in short skirts and revealing tops, but Sueki knew in the better neighborhoods styles like what the young lady wore were fashionable for the younger women.

“I see you changed your clothes from what you were wearing this morning,” Sub-Director MacLean said to the boy.

“Sorry, Dad. I tried to stay out of it but when Tommy got me in the face with a pickle, I couldn’t help it,” the boy said.

Sub-Director MacLean lightly swatted the back of his head. “Yeah, I know how it is. So did you eat already?”

“I just had a little, just like Carol and Mother,” the boy replied. “Only so we didn’t look stupid sitting there watching everyone else eat. It only made me hungry.”

“Then sit down,” Madam Lane stated. “Dee, darling, would you mind telling Amanda that we’re ready? Sit everyone.”

“Do you want me to sit or get Amanda?” the Director asked with a devilish look, making Sueki think of the type of child it had been alluded that he once was, and that as serious as he took his responsibilities with Torchwood, he never completely lost that impish child.

Madam Lane made a swatting motion at him as he held out the chair at the head of the table for her. “You know what I mean.”

“I do,” the Director said with a laugh. “Be right back with the chow,” he said as he went toward the single door and proved to Sueki that she was correct in thinking the door was to the kitchen. 

“Oh, before I forget further, this is my son, Bikky,” Sub-Director MacLean introduced as he pointed to the teenage boy, “actually Dee’s and my son. And that’s Bikky’s friend, Carol. She’s also more like a little sister to us. We tend to look out for her.”

Greetings went around the table until the Director was back and sat down on the end seat to Madam Lane’s right and next to his partner. He was also across from Sueki, who sat on Madam Lane’s left side with Rollie next to her. Their children were sitting three on the left side and four on the right side, with Bikky and Carol sitting at the end. They were assisting in keeping the little ones in line, but were also encouraging plenty of giggling going on that end of the table.

Madam Lane smiled at Sueki. “Let them be and have their fun, while we adults can talk. Oh, I do hope you do not mind tonight’s choice for dinner. Since most of us at the table are children, I thought it best to have something they would eat. At least most of it, I hope.”

“It’s no problem at all, Madam Lane,” Rollie assured her. “We are just very grateful for you to have us over for dinner tonight.”

It was not long after that Amanda was serving their dinner. True to what Madam Lane stated, dinner was pot roast and vegetables. The children’s meat was cut up into tiny pieces to make it easier for them to eat. On their plates there was already a dollop of the creamy brown gravy. Also served were small crockery bowls with baked macaroni and cheese. The adults’ and teens’ plates had a two thick slices of the roast and a small serving bowl set with one gravy bowl with the same gravy already on the children’s plates and another with an au jus. The rest of the roast was placed on the table by the adults, as Madam Maria informed everyone that having seconds was very much expected. 

Sueki wondered if she only said that because Madam Maria knew the family normally did not eat so well. They had been eating better than they were used to since they were settled in the suite. Sueki had found ground beef and pork, sausage links and hot dogs to use for preparing meals. Real milk in bottles was delivered daily to the suite, instead of the powdered milk she was used to. Food for breakfast included real eggs, slabs of bacon that had more meat than fat and pastries instead of the powdered egg mix and coarse bread past the expired date that she was used to. They hardly ever had bacon and when they did, it was end pieces sold by the pound that was more fat than meat. She mostly served white toast or an instant pancake mix that only needed water to make. Lunch was normally lard and onion sandwiches on bread and there were times they didn’t have bread. It was so different, and while Sueki was not complaining, she really had no idea how to prepare most of the food she now had in the kitchen of their suite and found herself burning a meal, which everyone still happily ate. She wondered if she asked, would Madam Maria allow her to spend time in the kitchen while Amanda cooked so she can get a better idea on how to make delicious meals for her family taking advantage of the type of food that Rollie had assured her was now to become a regular part of their lives. It had been so long since she had real food to cook and the appliances used in a proper kitchen were much different than the ones from the world they had come from.

The adults were also served small bowls of baked macaroni and cheese, along with a small salad plate of watercress with cherry tomatoes and shaved carrots. Two silver serving bowls gave the older diners a choice of salad dressing – raspberry vinaigrette and creamy house dressing.

Sueki discovered why the choice when Madam Lane and Sub-Director MacLean had the vinaigrette and Director Laytner drowned his salad with the house dressing. Sueki decided to try the vinaigrette because it sounded like something fancy, not that she ever had house dressing either. Normally she mixed cooking oil and white vinegar to toss with lettuce and then seasoned it with salt and pepper. She usually served a lot of meals with plain lettuce and cabbage because it was so cheap.

Amanda had also set on the table two fresh loaves of cheese and herb bread, one on each side, cut in thick slices and a plate of butter patties sitting over ice. The children were served milk to drink with dinner in small lightweight tumblers much like she had for the children’s drinks. Sueki decided it was universal for young children because it was the safest choice. Amanda set a pitcher of milk chilled in a bowl of ice and said to the children that the pitcher was there if they wanted more milk, and then she asked Bikky and Carol if they would be so kind as to pour the milk whenever a younger one wanted more, in which both teens assured they would take care of it.

Bikky and Carol had milk too but in frosted tall glasses with a fancy “L” etched on the glass. The adults enjoyed a burgundy wine served in fine crystal glasses.

What was amazing to Sueki was despite the opulence of the table, she knew the meal and table settings were toned down. She got to know Madam Lane enough to know it was not because she didn’t feel her guests unworthy of her best tableware and meals, but because she wanted them to have a fine, hearty meal without overwhelming them, and for that, Sueki was very thankful.

With everything set on the long table with the white linen table cloth and a salmon colored table runner with silver embroidered designs, the children stared at the meal in shock. Bradley and Wilma, the fourth born of their daughters, and next to the youngest, clapped their hands in delight, making the other five join in.

Just as Director Laytner started to pick up his fork, Jonny asked, “Are we gonna say thanks? ‘Cause there’s lots to thank here!”

The Directors shared an amused smile with Madam Lane as Director Laytner winked at Sueki.

“It is tradition among our people to give thanks for every meal,” Rollie explained. “And believe me, when we sit down to eat, we’re always plenty thankful that there is something on the table no matter how plain or if in small amounts.”

“I understand,” Madam Lane stated, “and yes, I do insist all my children say some form of thanks before meals. Ask Dee.”

Dee nodded as he ruefully put down his fork. “Yeah, we do. Even here, so yes Jonny, we can give thanks. Matter of fact, would you like to have the honors?”

“Can I?” Jonny asked with big wide eyes.

“You sure can,” Bikky replied with a big grin, making the child smile back at him.

“Are you certain?” Sueki had to ask. “This is your house and our ways of giving thanks might not agree with your beliefs.”

Madam Lane waved it off. “Oh please. Be it thanking our Lord God, the Lady Goddess, the Great Dragon of Hydrus, the Seven Eyed Messiah of Volgras or plain old just saying thank you for what’s on their plates is always acceptable here. I deal with so many cultures that if I know what race a child is from, we do our upmost to give them lessons on that culture. Unfortunately with Dee, I had no idea so I simply raised him in my Irish heritage.” She winked at Dee.

“We once had a kid who insisted on saying grace to the great rutabaga of the golden fields,” Dee said with a laugh, “Or at least his race’s version of a rutabaga, and Mother allowed it because it meant something to him.”

“Can Jonny do thanks now, please?” Himyan asked. “I’m really hungry now. Yum!”

Kerilyn, the second daughter born of the litter, leaned forward over her plate and sniffed deeply. “It smells so good!” she exclaimed.

“Hurry up, Jonny,” Director Laytner stated, “and give thanks so we can all get eating.”

“But do it right,” Rollie added, and then gave Director Laytner an apologetic look.

“We give thanks to the dragons of the earth from which our food comes from. We thank the dragons of the sea for our liquid. We thank the dragons of air so we may breathe. We thank the dragons of fire for the flames to cook our food. We also thank the dragons of spirit for bringing Directors Laytner and MacLean into our lives, which brings Ma’m Lane, who did lots for us, ‘specially this yummy meal. Hail the Dragons!”

The other children intoned, “Hail the Dragons!” Bikky and Carol followed.

Madam Lane grinned at the two Directors and nodded her head. Along with Rollie and Sueki, they also intoned, “Hail the Dragons.”

Immediately after, Director Laytner picked up his fork and announced, “Let’s eat!”

“YAY!” came from the children and they all picked up their forks and started to eat. Bikky and Carol began to eat without the exclamation, but they seemed happy to finally be able to eat their dinner.

The rest of the adults started to eat at a more sedate pace. Talk was light while they ate, mostly about Rollie’s first day and some of the amusing things the children in the home had done over the years that Madam Lane had run the Children’s home. She also added some amusing anecdotes about Director Laytner when he was younger.

The children were having the time of their lives, chatting away with Bikky and Carol, laughing and giggling as they ate their food. They had three cups of milk and all had more of the roast. Amanda came out of the kitchen with more macaroni and cheese to give to anyone who wanted seconds.

After dinner was done, Director Laytner suggested they go look at the flats before returning for dessert, and Madam Maria agreed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rollie and Sueki look at flats with Dee, Ryo and Maria.

CHAPTER NINE

They all left the townhouse and walked around the corner from 111th Street onto Riverside Drive. They crossed 112th Street and almost halfway down the block there was a tunnel between two tall buildings. Instead of the expected path for horse and carriage to use to stables and carriage houses, when they went through the iron wrought gate, there was a stone paved walkway with hedges on each side of the path. It came out into an area between behind the larger apartment buildings. Going along the backs of the two large buildings were carriage houses that were converted into two and three story cottages and row houses. The lovely houses faced a park in the center of that square block. It was mostly grass surrounded by high hedges and trees. It had a playground in one of the corners and in the very center of the grassy area was a garden with a stone fountain as the focal point. On the far end of the open area was another row of converted carriage houses going along the backs of the buildings on Broadway between 112th and 113th Streets. There were a couple of children on the swings as a nanny sat on a stone bench along the hedges under an oak tree, watching them. Three teenagers sat at a stone table by a gaslight light post, and a kerosene lamp on the table for additional light with books spread across the table’s surface working on their homework.

“And this explains why a parking structure is needed for the residents of this city block,” Director Laytner said with a laugh, “but it’s definitely worth it. I would come over here with my friends who were not in the orphanage to play here. And like them over there,” he said indicating the teens, “sometimes I’d work on my assignments.”

“I love this already!” Sueki exclaimed excited, “and I didn’t even see the flats yet.”

“This is a lovely private garden,” Rollie said. “I wouldn’t have thought something like this would be hidden behind the buildings you see on the streets.”

“The gates to all entrances are locked at 10 pm, making this a secure gated environment. We also have foot patrol from the NYPD as well as Torchwood at all times of the day,” Madam Lane explained. “And you can also see that you have a nice place for your children to play, along with the other children who live here. It’s very private because not too many people who do not live here venture through the entrances during the day, expecting nothing more than stables and carriage houses. And should you pick one of the two flats here, I will provide each of you with a key, so you can come and go as you like between ten pm and six am.”

“Which is a good thing if you choose to live here,” Director Laytner stated, “because while most of the time you will have regular hours for 1st shift, there are times when circumstances keep us going past ten pm and you’ll be wanting to get into your flat after a long day.”

Rollie nodded his head with understanding. He reached out to take Sueki’s hand in his and squeezed it. “This is so much more than we could have ever hoped to even have a chance to look at something in a place like this.”

“Oh yes indeed. I can’t believe this.”

“Are we going to live here, Dada?” Mya asked, gazing around with wondrous eyes.

“Can we play here if we do?” Noonym asked.

“It’s possible,” Rollie replied to the children.

“It’s very possible if your parents decide to take one of the flats here,” Sub-Director MacLean said with a smile.

“Even if they take the flat that is not in here, you can still most likely come here to play in the daytime,” Director Laytner said.

“That’s true. During the day we have children from all the buildings in this area. It’s much like a local park, and we rarely have any trouble here,” Madam Lane explained. “We have both human and alien residents here, and of all levels of social status here. There is the very wealthy and also the very poor, who work as hard as you did, Rollie. We all get along here.”

“If anyone causes any trouble that brings the police or Torchwood in, Mother will ask them to leave,” Dee explained.

“Or if they show intolerance for different races or financial status. This is a place where you can be who you are while having somewhere lovely to live,” Madam Lane added.

“You do not have to sell me on the location, Madam Lane,” Sueki said. “As I said, I’m already in love with this place, so if you just toss me the keys to whatever flat you feel, we will accept without hesitation and much gratitude.”

“That’s delightful to hear, but when we get you settled into your flat, it will be one of your own choosing,” Madam Lane said.

“Now of course,” Director Laytner said with a smirk, “if none of the flats suit your tastes or needs, you can take the option of other flats Torchwood can find for you to explore.”

“I would have been grateful enough if someone handed us keys to any place that we can begin to make our new home,” Rollie said, “but I’ll be honest. I know we will pick one of whatever flats you have to offer here.” He started to look a little concerned, “but no matter what you said, Director, um, Dee, but I still worry that this is out of our league on what we can afford.”

Madam Lane patted Rollie’s arm with a white gloved hand. “No worries about it, dear. I know exactly how much you are making now and I can assure you that you can afford the rent and still have plenty to buy nice things for your new home after you feed your lovely family.”

Sub-Director MacLean cleared his throat. “If you don’t mind my butting in, but I would like to go to the market with you the first few times only to assure myself that your children as eating as well as you are able to afford.”

“That’s most generous of you, Ryo,” Sueki said, “but I fear I would not know how to prepare meals with all the new ingredients we have never been able to afford.”

“I can have Lavella teach you,” Madam Lane stated.

“Lavella?” Sueki asked. “Forgive me, but I thought Miss Amanda made our dinner tonight.”

“Amanda can make a fine tea and dessert, but cooking meals for supper? Not hardly, which is why I make sure she sits down and enjoys whatever Lavella makes.”

“Lavella is a master gourmet chef from the Beneshian Belt, and worked in a bistro up in Washington Heights until Mother discovered him. For the past three years he has been making his primary living making supper for Mother and other families in the area. He basically comes in with the food, sets it up to warm for Amanda to serve,” Sub-Director MacLean explained.

“He does pretty good making a lot of extra money during the season for tea parties,” Director Laytner added, “and Mother always asks him to cater for many of our fundraisers.

“Shall we see the inside of your options now?” Madam Maria asked.

“Yes, please,” Sueki replied. “I am most excited.”

“So am I,” Rollie said.

Madam Lane started to stroll along the walkway that ran along the front of the lovely homes. “The first one is next to the end cottage on this side. It is already vacated, but we are still doing some work in it and will not be ready for moving in for another three weeks. It’s not that the previous residents destroyed it or anything. They were a lovely family who lived in the flat for twenty years until last month when they moved out to San Francisco because of a job offer that was a major promotion for one of the husbands. It was enough of promotion that they would not have to worry about paying rent there.”

“Last I heard, they were buying one of those lovely large homes on a hill overlooking the bay,” Sub-Director MacLean said. “The rest of the unity also were looking at good jobs.” He grinned at Director Laytner.

“Do they work for Torchwood, by any chance?” Rollie had to ask because of the look the partners shared.

Director Laytner nodded his head. “Indeed they do. It was almost offered to me, I had learned, but The Directors know better than to believe that I would move to San Francisco. If you can ever get me to leave this city, it would be for Cardiff or Japan. But Ryo and I did get to look over the personnel profiles for the 27th Sector and made a recommendation.”

“So you wouldn’t consider an off-world post?” Sub-Director MacLean slyly asked.

“Well, maybe some year and it would have to depend on where. There are some worlds you could not get me to settle on for all the money in Mutter’s Spiral,” Director Laytner stated.

“One of these years, I wouldn’t mind going off world for perhaps a few years before coming back,” Sub-Director MacLean said. “Just to say I did, but like Dee, it would depend on where.”

Madam Lane stopped before a cottage with blue wood shutters and a small terrace with high black iron railing on the front of the second floor. The window trim was also blue and the rest of the wood exterior was painted white. “Anyway, it had been twenty years since we had done any upgrading which is what is being done now, including having electrics installed and the flooring replaced. This was once a stable and my parents had the second floor built once they had decided to turn it into a rental property.”

She stepped aside after unlocking the door and opening it. “Please come in and look around.” 

With the children surrounding them, Rollie and Sueki took in the interior of the pretty cottage. 

“This flat only has three bedrooms, all upstairs,” Madam Lane explained. “This is your lounge, which you see is quite spacious. In the back is your kitchen and dining area, which I believe you can fit a table large enough for your entire family. There is a loo with just a toilet and sink down here. The door in the dining area leads to a small fenced garden using the space between this building and the one on Riverside Drive. I’m afraid the residents of that particular flat don’t have much of a view outside their window which is why I like to keep the fence looking clean with some flowery vines on the fence. My Dee found this lovely vine that has brilliant flowers that bloom through all the seasons during one of his off-world travels and works quite nicely.”

“Also important is the flowers are not poisonous to Rymorians,” Director Laytner added. “I did some quick research in case you consider this flat in case one of the little ones gets it in their minds to eat the flowers, which children will do at times.”

“Which landed you in hospital when you were six. You’re lucky that you heal quickly or else that would have been a long stay in hospital,” Madam Maria stated. “My Dee was the child who was always into everything, but I never saw him as a bad child. Just very adventurous and always wanting to explore. It’s no wonder he has the job he does which sometimes takes him to new worlds.” She peered over to the Director. “Well, I did consider stealing and working up elderly beings bad, but I still never saw him as a bad child.”

“Yeah, I was only misguided,” Director Laytner said with a smirk.

“I thank the Lady that both you and Barry went a different way than poor Tommy,” Madam Maria said.

“I really had no choice, Mother. Jess made sure of that. Besides after Arnon, and what happened to Jess, there was only one way for me to go.”

“As tragic as the situation was, plenty of good did come out of it, because I do believe it was your turning point.”

“More than just learning a lesson from everything and making vows to Jess, it also brought Ianto Jones and Jack Harkness into my life. I would never have been in the position I am if it wasn’t for their guidance and for luring me into the Torchwood fold.”

“I don’t think you realized it, Dee, but those two saw the same greatness in you that I did. They also saw you were never going to be happy in the NYPD with all their silly restrictions because they are afraid. Torchwood was the perfect place for you, and I also saw how they were grooming you to one day take the position you now hold. I also believe you will go higher as time goes on.”

Director Laytner shrugged. “I’m happy enough being the Director of the 27th Sector. I think it does the most work that helps the public, both alien and human, than any other sector.”

“As long as you love what you do, my son.” Madam Maria went over to Rollie, who was looking at the kitchen that was missing appliances and cabinets were being torn out. “I do hope that you also have a chance to love what you do.”

“After just one day, I can say I believe in what I do, and that’s more than I had in my many other jobs,” Rollie said.

Madam Maria gave Rollie a kind smile and then turned her attention to the kitchen. “We are putting in a new kitchen, with a lovely copper surface and dark oak cabinets.”

“What is this?” Sueki asked as she stood at the island in the center of the large kitchen space.

“Oh, that’s called an island,” Director Laytner explained. “You can use it for extra surface in preparing meals. Here you have your sink,” he said as he slid back the surface on one corner of the island. “So you have plenty of room for a rack to dry your dishes. There are more shelves and drawers for storage.” He opened one of the doors on the side facing where the appliances were to go. “In fact, it looks like you’ll have a secondary pantry space.”

“Speaking of the pantry,” Madam Maria said as she went over to two shutter doors on the far end of the kitchen space and opened them. “You have a walk-in pantry to put up your non-perishables.”

Sueki’s eyes were wide as she took in the space. Just the kitchen alone was larger than their living area in their old flat. The kitchen was nothing more than an old beaten up wood burning stove that doubled as their heater in the cold weather, a small sink and a tiny icebox. She never had to worry about the icebox being too small because they never had enough perishables to put into it. Mostly everything they ate was powdered or came in dented cans. They never really had meat, cheese and milk to keep cold. Besides the ice blocks cost money that they could not afford, preferring to use the money for more important things the family needed. Sometimes Mr. Hobbleknill would come around with ice blocks, mentioning that Torchwood was offering ice for free and picking up an extra block for them. She never really thought about it then, but she was now curious on what other generosities Torchwood offered.

She looked over to the man who was now her husband’s boss. “Dir—Dee, how much does it cost to produce ice blocks?” she asked.

The Director looked at her surprised. “Are you talking about the ice truck Torchwood sends out to Alphabet City once a month?” he asked. When she nodded, he replied, “Nothing for us, but the people who do sell ice blocks need to make a living somehow, so they charge. Don’t forget for them it also includes most likely renting a location to make the ice and then maintaining the delivery lorry.” He indicated an empty space in the kitchen. “You won’t need to worry about ice to keep perishables cold once the electrics are installed. Mother has plans to put in one of the new refrigerator models that uses electrics. It keeps food cold as well as freezes.”

Sueki’s eyes went wide. “There is such a thing?” she asked.

“Yes, there is. We all have them. I’m afraid that for people who are able to afford electrics the poor ice men will have to find another way to make a living,” Director MacLean stated.

Madam Lane allowed Rollie to open the door to look in the small garden. It may have been tiny but it was more than they ever had. They were taken upstairs where a long hall ran along the length of the flat with doors leading into three bedrooms and one full bathroom, including a deep clawed porcelain bathtub.

Sueki was all ready to say yes on the flat because it was more than she expected to ever have, when Sub-Director MacLean said that they should go look at the other two flats.

The next flat was on the other side of the park and was two buildings combined into a townhouse. As they approached it, Madam Lane said, “This used to be a carriage house with living quarters for the grooms and horse hands,” she pointed to the three story brick building, “and this was the stable that went with the carriage house which is why they are both brick. Like the other flat, my parents added space going up so you have one double width building with three stories on one side and two on the other, plus there’s a basement that goes under both buildings. “If you liked the first one, I’m sure you’re going to love this one. It just became available this weekend. The family bought a nice home in Bay Shore. They had enough of the city. Between the hover ferries and airships, it’s no big deal to commute these days. Not so much when I was a child,” Madam Lane said. “Now even the rich folks are converting their island summer homes into permanent residences and leaving the city.”

“My my,” Director Laytner said with a sarcastic tone, “where will the rich people go for the summer now.”

Madam Lane noticed her son’s sarcasm and stated as if she did not, “I hear Cortlandt and other towns along the Hudson in that area are becoming quite popular for summer homes. There is also Connecticut along the Long Island Sound.”

Sueki could not repress her smile at the face the Director made. 

“Speaking of vacation homes,” Madam Maria said, “I am thinking of selling ours in the Hamptons, Dee, but we can discuss that at another time.”

“Sell our Hamptons’ house?” the Director exclaimed. “That would be as bad as you selling this townhouse.”

“We hardly use it, Dee. We don’t have the time like we used to. We hardly spent a weekend there this past season and that was only for a garden party fundraiser.”

“If you need the money, Mother, I’ll buy it off you and use it for a Torchwood safehouse along with fundraisers. We can also probably use it to send kids who could not afford it for a few days at the beach. Besides, where would I moor my boat?”

“When was the last time you used your boat?” Sub-Director MacLean asked, amused.

“Well, I keep hoping we can take a vacation on the water, or even a weekend,” Director Laytner said. He shrugged. “I was considering giving it to Bikky once he gets older.”

The Sub-Director gave him a warm and loving look. “Really? You were going to give it to Biks?”

“He’ll have to learn how to handle her, but yeah. I got it as a gift when I was old enough, why shouldn’t I pass it on to my son when he’s able to?”

With a soft look and unshed tears glistening in his eyes, the Sub-Director pulled the Director into his arms and have him a loving kiss. “You amaze me, Dee Laytner.”

“I didn’t try. It’s what Jess would have done for me if he had a boat. Even more a reason, Bikky does live under my roof and he is our legally adopted son.” He shrugged. “So what’s the big deal? Of course Bikky will get things from me as if he was my biological son. He is my only son and child. However if you want to keep kissing me like that every time I give my son something, I’m not going to stop you.”

For a reply, the Sub-Director kissed him again.

Madam Maria smiled as she clasped her hands. “I’m so grateful my son has Ryo in his life. He’s so good for my Dee.” She went over to Bikky and placed an arm around his shoulders. “You’re a very lucky boy with good dads, my dearest,” she said.

Bikky looked shocked as he listened to one of his adoptive fathers talk so casually about giving some of his possessions to him. He nodded, for once not knowing what to say, except, “Thanks, Dee. It means a lot.”

Directory Laytner smiled at the boy. “Thank you, Biks,” he replied.

Madam Maria smiled and released the boy. “Dee, Ryo, as much as it does my heart glad to see how much you love each other, and your son, we do have a tour to do.” 

“Yes, we do,” the Director said with a laugh. Sub-Director MacLean went over to the boy and pulled him over to his partner. “Carry on, then,” he said, placing an arm around Bikky, who was between the two men and started to lead him to follow his mother. 

Madam Maria led them along the cobblestone path to the door on the side that was once the stable. The door was arched on the top with a pretty glass window on the top half. On the roof of the building was a high iron gate. It also had a wide window on the ground floor. Upstairs were two sets of double window panes. On the side that formerly was the carriage house also had a large arching window with many panes. The upper level had wider window panes and the top floor had windows like the second floor of the former stables.

“This one looks like it lets plenty of sun in,” Sueki remarked. 

“Being this is a detached building on the end with the walkway from Broadway between this townhouse and the one across the path, there are windows on the both sides of the building.” As Madam Lane entered the townhouse, they entered a small foyer before going into the large living room. “As you can see there are some furnishings. I decided to leave it in case you would like to take some or all of it no matter which flat you pick.”

“I think I like this one more already,” Rollie said. “There’s so much room for the children to play in here.”

“Look Dada! Is that a fireplace?” Mya asked as the other little ones ran over to inspect it, finding the fireplace the most fascinating thing in the room.

“It does look like it,” Rollie replied.

“It looks like one because it is one,” Director Laytner said with a laugh.

Off the living room in the hall between the living room and the kitchen and dining room was the loo.

“This place has a proper dining room, as well as a breakfast bar with a table at the end of the island in the kitchen,” Madam Lane said. “I’m sure you can have many wonderful family meals together no matter which area you choose.”

They walked through the apartment and inspected the kitchen that had one of the new cookers that ran by gas, and an electric refrigerator. It had a lot of walnut cabinets, a large island also in walnut with the breakfast bar on one side and a table to seat eight extending from the island. The counter included a double sink and a larger pantry was accessed by a door in the end of the kitchen. They inspected the dining room, one of the walls was a large window and the room could fit a table to seat twelve. It had a pot belly cast iron stove in the corner. 

Director Laytner pointed to the stove with a smile. “That’s like the one I have in my dining area,” he said.

“Because it most likely came from the same place as yours,” Madam Lane said with a knowing smile as Bikky laughed. 

The boy and his friend, Carol, followed along the tour, talking quietly to themselves when they were not assisting with keeping the children from running all over the place. They did not interfere with the adult conversations unless they were directly spoken to. Over dinner, she had learned how Sub-Director MacLean had taken in the boy on his first day with the 27th Sector. She also discovered how despite his original protests about the Sub-Director taking in the boy, Director Laytner assisted with raising the boy, becoming more involved as time went on. Now they were a lovely family with the boy having two fathers who clearly loved the boy and each other. It was obvious they had done a fine job with the boy and she commended them. It was not easy raising a child but she could not imagine how it was for the two men who had high positions that kept them very busy and still manage to find the time to raise the child. She also discovered that Madam Lane would assist them when needed. She felt a bit silly for the thought that came to her, but she found it was easier to accept their kindness because the directors were family men.

Up the stairs the hall ran between both buildings with 3 bedrooms on one side and a sitting room and a fourth bedroom on the other. At each end of the hall was a full bathroom. On the third floor was a master bedroom suite including another full bathroom. In the hallway on that floor were double glass doors that led out to a rooftop patio.

Sueki fell in love with the townhouse by the time they finished the walk through.

“So what do you think?” Madam Lane asked.

“Can we move in tonight?” Sueki blurted out to her horror. She had intended to stay humble, but would not complain about having a nicer place to live. She did not intend to be so eager. After seeing the townhouse, knowing it would be affordable for them, she could not help herself. She was bubbly and excited, suddenly seeing just how much their lives were in the process of changing. 

It meant much to her to have this chance, especially because of the children. She had always hated not giving her family the more than they had. She knew Rollie worked hard, harder than any being should, just to be able to provide what the family had. They always made sure the children had the most basic required, including something to eat and clothes, even if the clothes were second hand or made by Sueki’s hand using old clothes and cast off material. It was not how she and Rollie had imagined raising a family when they were first married, but their lives were drastically changed that one day in their home city on Rymoria. They never had intended to have a family upon arriving on Earth until they were able to move into a better apartment and both of them making more money. She had been using birth control but discovered that the contraceptive available was not as reliable as what they had on Rymoria. Upon finding herself pregnant, ending the pregnancy or giving away the children were not an option to her and Rollie. So they carried on, doing whatever they could to provide for their family. It never did seem like enough to her. Now, thanks to Director Laytner and his mother, she had a chance to see her family have more than the basics and maybe even a few extras. She knew she would forever be grateful to the two Directors and Madam Lane, and even Torchwood.

She no longer saw the accident the week before as a curse. It was a blessing because it had brought these two kind and generous men into their lives, along with others who were willing to give them a better life. She could not believe they were looking at such fine flats for their family to live in.

Madam Lane laughed along with Director Laytner, who was very amused. Sub-Director MacLean was smiling. “I think we have a winner.”

“Let’s look at the last flat,” Madam Lane stated, “and then you can choose.”

“And if you still want this one,” Director Laytner said, “we can get you moved in after we’re back from our trip.”

Rollie looked at the Director in surprise. “What do you mean our trip? I thought it was just the command team going? Oh, unless you mean you’re willing to help out when you all get back?”

“We’re going to need general support while we’re gone, and that is currently you. And since I authorized for families to come along, that means if you want, your wife and children can also come along. I already made arrangements for suitable accommodations should you want to take them with you.”

“How long will we be gone? For us, that is,” Rollie asked.

“Around eight weeks for training plus the journey from New York to Cardiff and back, which will take almost a week and a half total in travel time. Plus whatever extra time off I might authorize while we’re in the future,” Director Laytner replied.

“Will there be room for everyone?” Rollie asked.

“Do you see those large airships that go over the city?” Sub-Director MacLean asked. “We’ll have one of those. It holds fifty passengers and also has twenty staterooms. I think we can fit everyone and their families.”

Rollie looked at Sueki and replied. “We’ll discuss this more when we get back to the suite tonight.”

“Yes, that sounds good,” Sueki replied. She knew what her answer would be. It was too long since they were able to get away and she knew the children would love the trip. She hoped that Rollie would agree with taking them along since other families would be going. She suddenly felt even more excited than she already was and was finding it extremely hard not to smile wide. She was certain that the others would know her growing excitement.

“Let’s go see the last flat,” Director Laytner exclaimed and held his arm out for his Mother to take. With an amused grin, he winked at Sueki before guiding his mother to the front door of the townhouse.

The last flat was a triplex penthouse in one of the taller buildings. It had a rooftop terrace larger than the patio the townhouse had, and was much larger with several more bedrooms. It was also very opulent; much too opulent for Sueki to feel comfortable with. Even if Madam Lane was going to make it affordable, it would always feel way out of their league and she knew it would never feel like home to her. It was also large enough to lose children in and that would never do.

On the walk back to Madam Lane’s townhouse, Rollie and Sueki lagged behind while the two Directors and Madam Lane assisted Bikky and Carol with keeping the children occupied. Back at the townhouse, they sat in the sitting room, enjoying Italian pastries and coffee for the adults and teens, except for Madam Maria, who had tea and the children had more milk. Rollie and Sueki asked the children what they thought about the flats and would they like to live in the second one.

The children didn’t seem to care which one they selected because they were all so much nicer than what they had was the general opinion.

“So, which one would you like to take?” Madam Maria asked.

With a wicked grin, Director Laytner added, “Or would you prefer to hold off to see what else we can find you through Torchwood?” 

“We would very much love to get that lovely townhouse, if we may,” Rollie replied for the family. “The last one was also really very lovely and definitely stately. Sueki feels that it’s too large and too much out of our league, so she could never be comfortable in it, while she can very much make the second, and even the first, a home for us. I think I prefer the second one because of the park that is accessible outside the front door, and it still has a lovely roof patio. I think it’s better for the children than having to go all the way down twenty stories and then the short walk to the entrance to the garden.”

“I understand, and I really want you to have something you can make a home, and yet have more space for your lovely family,” Madam Lane stated. “We can do the signing of the rental agreement once you come back from training. Or Sueki is welcome to come by tomorrow.”

“Shall we leave the furniture already in the townhouse for you?” Sub-Director MacLean asked.

“If not, I’ll have to make arrangements with a friend of mine to have everything removed,” Director Laytner stated.

“And what will be done with it?” Rollie asked.

“Most likely be taken for trash or knowing Barry, he’ll probably deconstruct it to use in one of his projects,” Director Laytner replied.

“But isn’t it very expensive furniture?” Sueki asked.

“Very expensive yes,” Madam Lane said, “but not of much resale value. It is fine made quality furniture but it’s all relatively new and so it loses value with use. So feel free to take everything if you want.”

Rollie looked over at Sueki. “Well? We can use furniture, especially in a place that large. It would be nice to have furniture in our new place. I’ll still have to look into getting bunks for the bugs, but we can do with mattresses for now.”

Sueki blushed as she nodded. “Yes, we’ll take the furniture. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much we appreciate everything you’ve done for us.”

“It’s no problem at all,” Madam Maria said with a bright smile. “It does my heart good to see a family be given a second chance.”

Sub-Director MacLean cleared his throat and looked over to Sueki and Rollie. “I just moved in with Dee over the weekend and I have furniture that I decided not to take with me. You’re welcome to look it over and take anything you want.”

Sueki blushed more but could not help the smile. “You have been too kind already.”

“If you say no, then it will sit in storage and cost me money until I had enough and have Barry come in to haul it away. You’ll be doing me the favor if you take even one piece of furniture. So please come have a look. The worse that could happen will be you won’t like anything.”

“If you insist,” Rollie stated uncertainly.

“I do,” the Sub-Director insisted. “I’ll have Dee make it an order if need.”

“You won’t have to,” Rollie said with a laugh. “I get the message. We’ll go and look at your furniture at your convenience.”

“That’s great,” the Sub-Director said with a smile. “Once we’re back from training, we’ll all go to my storage unit and hopefully find some more furnishings for your new home.”

“Well, now that we got that settled, I think we should think about leaving soon. Busy day for us tomorrow and both Bikky and Carol have school,” Director Laytner said as he finished his pastry.

“This is true,” Rollie agreed. “Our children also have school and it’s always is an effort to get this lot into bed.”

“Before I forget,” Director Laytner said, “when we get back, allow me to introduce you to my friend who would have deconstructed the furniture. He might be able to help you with the children’s rooms and their beds. He’s the one who designed the bedrooms in your suite.”

“Really? If we can get something like that, it would be great!” Rollie exclaimed as Sueki agreed.

Soon after, everyone was saying good night to Madam Lane. Rollie and Sueki thanked the kind wealthy woman again for all she had done, and the children all insisted on giving her a hug and a kiss, also thanking her for dinner and everything else she had done.

OoOoOoO

 

Once Dee and Ryo said good night to the Hollenswags in the lobby of the Torchwood tower, they went into different elevators. The one the Hollenswags took was an express to the living section, while they took an elevator up to the parking levels to get Dee’s aircar. They dropped off Carol first before they all went home in the flat they now shared.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dee and his team head into the future for Weevil training. Jack and Ianto arrive in New York before they leave and they bring someone who will join the team in the future. Rollie and Sueki continue to adapt to their new life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I first starting to write this, it was supposed to be FAKE characters with only mention of Torchwood characters. Unfortunately nothing ever goes according to what I plot and now I have not only Jack and Ianto in this story, but there is also Toshiko. As it turns out Tosh is going to be a major player in a later plot so I'm glad I included her.
> 
> Jack and Ianto will be back in a couple of chapters while Tosh is going to be hanging around for a while.

CHAPTER TEN

 

Tuesday the team found themselves busy with more than preparations for their journey for Weevil training. Dee had pulled everyone within Torchwood NY who had training with handling Weevils and formed temporary response teams to be sent on a mission. He had received the tagging frequencies from Ianto for the sixteen missing Weevils from Cardiff. Ted got pings on all sixteen at six locations through the city. One location was an abandoned building in Inwood in Upper Manhattan on the Harlem River side. Another location was in an unused subway station in downtown Manhattan. An old warehouse in Greenpoint, Brooklyn housed two of the tagged Weevils. Other pings came from under Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and the last location was in subway tunnels in Brighton Beach.

Dee and Ryo each headed a team and Dee placed Detective Pat Mamoone, who was a squad leader in Investigations, to head the third team. Mamoone had transferred over from Cardiff the year before and was one of the most experienced with Weevils in Torchwood New York. Mamoone was born and raised in Cardiff but his family had been refugees from a war-torn world that had applied for asylum with Torchwood. He looked human except for his violet and silver eyes and the scalloped edges along his ears. Dee had faith in Mamoone, knowing he would handle leading his team. 

There were three teams of six to hit up two sites each. Dee had Marty and Ted with him and Ryo had Drake and J.J. included on his team. Dee also had selected Rollie to tag along as part of the additional two members each team also had for support. He was going to Brighton Beach first, and then to Greenpoint. Ryo’s team was heading up to Yankee Stadium first and Mamoone’s team was going to the downtown abandoned subway station. The game plan was to clean out the underground known locations they had with the idea it will be at least that many less Weevils that could end up in an open station or the tunnels. Then once the captured Weevils were secured, the three teams would head out to their second designated locations.

It was going to be a long day and Dee had been hoping to spend some off time with his family all together in their new joint home. It didn’t look very likely now. After the Weevil retrievals, there were still meetings to assure things he wanted in play during his absence would go on, and paperwork to complete, not to mention the reports on the Weevils. At least he was able to sit down with Ryo early in the morning and go through all the overnight activity from when they’d left and assign anything they felt needed to be followed up or further investigated.

That included Weevil sightings by an overnight police patrol at the Prospect Park Boathouse. They were now housing five more Weevils in their holding facility and Dee knew they needed to pick a location fast and get it secure enough to contain Weevils. Once they were done collecting the Cardiff Weevils, along with whatever others with them, Dee knew that their holding cells were not meant to hold as many prisoners, and he really hated to mix the other criminals they held for trial with the Weevils for everyone’s sake. That meant leaving the Weevils on a level of their own after shuffling prisoners and ruffling Rose’s feathers, even if the holding cells came under Director Smith’s jurisdiction and gave Dee free reign on how to handle holding Weevils until the facility was ready. Rose had been making noises about how the Weevils needed to be shot and leave the room for real prisoners. Both Dee and Smith had been ignoring him, knowing fully well that they had the backing of the two Directors who mattered the most.

Dee had given the teams a final briefing before they were to head out. Just as he was about to dismiss the teams, Rose wandered in.

“Director Laytner, a word with your teams please,” he said.

Dee glanced over at Ryo, who shrugged and started to nibble on his lips. Letting out a heavy sigh, Dee nodded. “If you must, Director Rose.”

“I understand you’re going out there with orders to capture and not kill. I believe this can place human lives – yours and any civilian – in danger,” Rose started.

Mamoone raised his hand. “Director Rose,” he called out. “Sir? You do remember that many of us here are not completely human, if at all?”

Rose glanced over to the speaker and opened his mouth before snapping it shut again. Dee sensed that Rose almost said something that would put him in deeper water than he was but managed to prevent it at the last second. That still did not guarantee anything else he might say would still put his foot in it. “Of course,” Rose said carefully. “What I meant is we’re all equals and I value each and every one of your lives.” He turned to look at Dee. “Including you, Laytner.”

Dee rolled his eyes. “There’s no guarantee that shooting to kill won’t cause casualties,” he stated.

Ryo, Mamoone and a couple of others from the teams who had spent time in Cardiff nodded in agreement.

“Director Rose,” Ryo spoke up, “have you ever spent a significant time in Cardiff?”

“No, I must say that I haven’t,” Rose replied, “but I do believe that as good intentioned as it is, our esteemed Directors are putting too much emphasis on protecting a race that has proven to be a danger to our society. If they want to allow those beasts to run free in their city, that’s their business, but New York is not Cardiff. I believe our Directors have lost scope of how this city runs.”

“And you do?” Dee asked. “They know New York better than you know Cardiff. And I know both. I already made allowances from what we do with Weevils in Cardiff. No, we cannot let them go free after being tagged, but like it or not, Weevils are still sentient beings with a form of intelligence. I will not allow genocide as long as I am Director of this sector.”

Dee wanted to say something about the majority of the Blowfish, but he didn’t dare in fear that Rose would turn it around on Rollie, who was also in attendance for the briefing. Rose had already made his thoughts about what he felt about Dee taking Rollie on the team as a punishment for killing with an illegal laser gun. Not that Rose didn’t also applaud that there was now one less Blowfish to deal with in the city.

“Fine, Laytner,” Rose said, coming up to Dee and stopping before him. “I’ll give you that.” He grinned most sardonically and leaned in closer, speaking so only Dee could hear. “Shame you won’t be Director much longer. You think you have the protection of your benefactors, but once the UN gets an earful of how you plan to abuse their funding, not even Ianto and Jack can stop them from removing you from not only your position but from Torchwood.”

Dee folded his arms. “Save your breath, Rose,” he said. “You best be certain that what you have to say is what the UN council wants to hear.”

“I’m taking time from my day off because of you, Laytner,” Rose accused.

“Did Director Smith call you in? No, I don’t think so. Did Ianto contact you? I doubt it. So why don’t you slither off to whatever you do away from here and let us do our jobs.”

“You’re lucky I have an appointment that I need to make or else you and I would have had a sit down in my office,” Rose stated. “And you might have walked out on your last day with Torchwood.”

Dee snorted. “You do not have the authority to remove any Director without written permission from our bosses. So nice try.” He waggled his fingers in Rose’s direction. “So off you go. As you said, today is your day off. So get out of here.”

Rose’s frown got deeper. “I’m going to remember this, Laytner. You’re time here is almost up.”

Dee watched as Rose stalked out of the area. He realized he remembered something else that had to also be done in between Weevil hunting and everything else going on that day. Ianto had apologized to Dee, knowing how busy his day was going to be, but it was something that the immortal felt had to be done, and only Dee was able to do it. Dee agreed with Ianto on the importance of it, so somehow he was going to make time to get it done.

 

OoOoOoO

 

Early Wednesday morning Dee and Ryo arrived with Bikky and Carol in tow with luggage. Bikky was happy to be going with his dads into future. He wished they were going further, but any trip in the future, or even to Cardiff, was good. As an added bonus, Bikky would not have to be back to school until the next Monday. Even better, for Bikky he would have no school for over eight weeks. It was almost like being on summer vacation only two months into the school year.

Carol was even more excited than Bikky from the way she kept talking and was more bubbly and bouncy than normal. It was far from her first trip with them, but it never got old for her. She said it was because she knew they didn’t have to take her on all their trips, be it for Ryo’s and Dee’s work or a family vacation. The two men always had included her. A few times she had to pass on the invitation because of something her Aunt Elina had planned during the days they would be gone, but she still was able to go with them more times than not.

Bikky wanted to ask when Jack and Ianto would be arriving, but he knew he couldn’t. Dee and Ryo had told the teens enough times the day before and even reminded them on the ride in that morning that they were not to mention Ianto and Jack, because it was a big secret. Bikky understood but knew it was even more important because the request came from Ianto and Jack, and it really was to catch the rat bastard Rose off guard, which Bikky had no problem helping with.

OoOoOoO

Dee glanced around at everyone in the reception area of the 27th Sector and noticed Ted talking to one of the female technicians. “Hey Ted!” he called out, breaking up what was looking to be another disaster for the red-headed Chief Technician. “Get over here.”

“Sorry, sweetheart,” Ted said. “The boss is calling. I’ll catch ya when we’re back.”

Dee smirked as he saw the look of relief on the woman’s face. She started to walk quickly out of reception to head over to her work area. 

“Hey boss, Ankersohn is collecting luggage and getting it send ahead,” Ted updated Dee. “Make sure to tag anything you’ll want with you during the airship travel.”

“Business as usual then,” Dee said. “We’re probably going to keep most of our luggage with us in the stateroom.”

“Rank has privileges, I guess. I hate having to live a week out of a suitcase,” Ted grumbled.

“I don’t see why you have deal with just one suitcase. Each of us in our group will have their own stateroom, unless you’re sharing with a significant other,” Dee said.

Ryo came up to stand next to Dee. “Gadgets, Dee,” Ryo commented.

“Oh yeah, right. You gotta travel with all your gadgets,” Dee mused. “Can’t go a week without them.”

“And more often than not what I work on is to some advantage for us. Am I right?” Ted asked.

“Yes you are, but considering this is a private voyage, I don’t see why you can’t take over an area in the passenger section,” Ryo pointed out.

“I could do that?” Ted asked.

Dee shook his head with amusement. He looked at Ted, his eyes meeting the eyes of his redheaded Chief Technician. “Ted, go on and get your personal belongings sorted.”

“I already sent it ahead,” Ted replied.

“Then send a communication and have them wait until you arrive before on-loading,” Dee said. “To be honest, if you have everything sorted here and just waiting to leave, I authorize you to go on ahead. I’ll be giving the briefing once we’re on the other side anyway.”

“Thanks Dee,” Ted said. “Do you want me to take the rugrats with me so you can concentrate on what you need to get done?”

“Thanks Ted, but Bikky and Carol want to stick with us. I’ll just have them wait here until we’re ready,” Dee said.

“Actually Bikky and Carol are needed here. They’re to help with Marty’s kids, as well as Rollie’s,” Ryo added with smile.

“So Rollie decided to bring the family then?” Ted asked.

“He did. I pretty much knew he would,” Dee replied, “which is why I left the spaces open even after he said he would go alone.”

“He’s extremely close to his family and he was just being polite when he declined bringing them,” Ryo said. “Dee’s mom contacted Mrs. Hollenswag and got it into her head that they should take advantage of benefits offered to them by Torchwood. They would never be able to travel to the future before Rollie ended up in Torchwood’s custody, so they should experience it now that they have the opportunity.”

“That’s true,” Ted said. “But let me tell you, that what we find available to us once we join Torchwood can be a bit daunting. I know it was for me and I wasn’t any close as bad off as they were.”

“They’ll be okay,” Ryo said. “This will be good for the family.”

“Besides we do need general support,” Dee pointed out.

Ted laughed. “And since Rollie is at the bottom of the ladder, he’s it.”

“Exactly,” Dee said with a grin. “Every newbie at the time of an away mission gets stuck tagging along as general support so why should he be any different.”

“Well, I’ll be heading off then. I’ll see you later,” Ted said.

“Go on and get your stuff sorted. See you then,” said Dee.

“Later, Ted,” Ryo said.

Just as Ted left, they noticed Drake enter with a porter drone carrying his luggage behind him. Right behind Drake, they saw Rollie entered, carrying several beaten up bags.

Dee came over to them. “Are you carrying everything up yourself?” he asked Rollie.

“Yeah. I’ll need to make a couple of more trips. I know we don’t really have much, but traveling with seven children, it still adds up, you know.”

“I know,” Dee said. “Drake, why don’t you get your luggage checked in at advanced staging and then go with Rollie and show them the advantage of a porter drone?”

“Sure thing, Dee. Rollie, put those bags on that platform there with my stuff,” Drake said, taking some of the bags from Rollie and placing them on the four by four platform on wheels that had rail siding to keep personal belongings from falling off. “Follow me, and then we’ll go and get this all done in one trip. So call the wifey and tell her to be ready to leave when you get there.”

The micro-steam powered engine chugged while it waited for the order to go forward again.

“Thanks Drake,” Dee said, his eyes still on Rollie’s luggage.

“Sorry,” Rollie replied noticing where Dee was looking. “We didn’t have much time to buy new luggage. Besides, I need to make sure we have enough money to get some things for the new flat.”

Drake patted Rollie on the back. “Dude, you do realize that when we get back, you’ll have accrued several weeks of pay, do you?”

“I figured I’d have to spend while we’re there,” Rollie said.

“You will but not too much. Food is provided, unless you want to go out and eat somewhere on your own, and even some of that is included in your travel pass. Accommodations is provided too. We have passes to go to some sights, eat at some establishments and a few other necessities. And yes, that is for everyone. Currency has changed enough in fifty years that what you have cannot be used unless converted. I already authorized spending accounts for anything not covered. You’ll have to watch your budget, but basically you’re not touching your pay and come the next pay day, you’ll have all those additional weeks added to it. So don’t worry,” Dee explained.

“Oh, I didn’t realize it,” said Rollie.

“Don’t worry, dude,” Drake assured him. “Stick with me and you’ll be okay. C’mon and let’s get this checked in.”

Dee and Ryo chuckled as they walked away. “I feel sorry for Rollie if Drake is taking him under his wing,” Ryo commented.

“Oh tell me. Besides, something tells me J.J. might get a big huffy over that.”

Ryo blinked as he looked at Dee. “J.J.?” he asked. “Why would he get huffy over Drake being Rollie’s mentor?”

“I don’t think J.J. realizes it, but while he still drools over me, he does get annoyed when Drake doesn’t pay attention to him.”

“Oh really? I need to pay more attention to J.J.,” Ryo said.

“Something you don’t usually make a habit of doing.”

“Exactly,” Ryo admitted. “And why are you paying so much time watching J.J.?” he asked, as he frowned up at Dee.

Dee held his hands up. “Because it’s part of my job. I do have to watch all of you.”

Ryo let out a heavy sigh. “Yeah. Right. I’m sorry. I do know that. I also know it’s part of my job.”

“It’s just that J.J. sometimes pushes your buttons, I know. It’s okay, Ryo. Besides, I do watch J.J. a bit more looking for anything that would help get his excessive attention off of me. And it looks like Drake might be the answer.”

Ryo’s mouth dropped for a second before he let out a laugh. It was cut short by a loud bellow across the area.

“Laytner!” Director Rose’s voice called out loud enough to make everyone in the area stop and look over to where the voice was coming from.

“Oh oh. I guess he just caught up on what’s been going on around here while he’s been off,” Dee said, frowning.

Director Rose stormed up to Dee and Ryo, with Chief Smith behind him, attempting with no success to calm the Torchwood New York Director down.

“Director Rose,” Dee greeted with false excitement. “I’m so glad you can see us off!”

“You have gone too far, this time, Laytner,” Rose announced, beady angry eyes glaring at Dee from behind the lenses of his glasses. “How dare you make contact with the NYPD without my authorization? You should not be contacting them anyway. That is my job.”

“Director Rose, perhaps we can take this in a conference room?” Ryo stated, glancing around at all the people under Dee’s command in the area watching him getting chewed out by the Director of Torchwood New York.

“No, I don’t think so, MacLean. You’re in the same sinking ship as he is, because you had your nose in this too,” Rose seethed.

“Actually it’s my job to work with the NYPD and any other local organization as I see needed so that Torchwood operations can go on,” Dee replied.

“I don’t know why you would with this preposterous idea!” Rose exclaimed. “You know I won’t approve the go ahead on this, even before I saw your report on the estimated cost of this project. I won’t approve it, Laytner. Now you just get your men trained up and start doing their damned jobs out there with those Weevils. That goes for you too, Smith! And no one talks to outside agencies without me present, meaning with my authorization.”

“I don’t think so,” Dee snapped out. “You have been doing squat as far as this situation goes.”

“What situation?” Rose asked. “There have been only three incidents. I hardly think that justifies over-extending your budget so subway stations are safe from a non-existent Weevil threat. So we have a few Weevils out there. You get your people out there, find them and kill them!”

“Kill them?” Ryo asked, outraged. “How can you say that?”

“It’s not Torchwood’s way,” Dee pointed out.

“This is my Torchwood, and I say whatever way is the cheapest is my Torchwood’s way,” Rose said.

Dee glared back at Rose. “Before you left yesterday morning, we only had three incidents, but I see you didn’t get beyond our going forward with the sonic barriers. I guess you didn’t read the reports that show after going through emergency rooms records, we have over 50 patients with injuries that indicate a Weevil attack. We have field agents going out to talk to the survivors. So far we have eight confirmed witness accounts that it was a Weevil that was described. Two of the victims were attacked in Brooklyn, one in Queens and two more in the Bronx other than the Cardiff ones that their tracking IDs pinged around the city. They have spread out beyond Manhattan and are all over the city now. I estimate at least 30 others interviewed will confirm it was a Weevil. For those that didn’t survive, we are searching for witnesses to the attack and interview them. Plus in the last 24 hours, we had three sightings in Central Park, one in Harlem and another in Williamsburg. We also got a reported sighting of three in the rail yards in Long Island City. Meaning it is very likely they are using the subway tunnels and absolutely using our sewer system to get around.”

“And no catches?” Rose asked. “What kind of crappy unit are you running that you can’t capture a Weevil?”

“Have you ever encountered a Weevil?” Ryo asked. “Because it’s a lot harder than most beings.”

“All the more to shoot to kill. By the time you lot approach the damn things, they run away.”

“Exactly, they run away. They aren’t going to be standing around waiting to welcome our response teams, you know. By the time a response team with qualified agents arrive, the bastards are gone.”

“I also think it’s a waste of money maintaining a holding facility for them. Kill the bastards,” Rose demanded.

“No,” Dee insisted. “I have orders to our teams to only kill as a last resort and it’s going to stand no matter what you say.”

“There’s going to be some changes, when you get back, Laytner,” Rose warned. “And it’s highly possible you might find yourself out of a job. And if the Directors ask why I am going to tell them about your insubordination and your blatant disrespect for authority. Not to mention, you can’t get your field teams to do what I expect them to do.”

Director Warren Smith let out a heavy sigh. “Word is The Directors left our time stream for an undetermined time,” he said to Dee and Ryo. “I warned you, Dee.”

Rose pointed to Smith. “See? You can’t even listen to him, Laytner. The only reason I’m not firing you right now is because I do want those teams trained to take down those bastards.”

“You do realize that training is for how to deal with them up-close for capture and not kill,” Dee stated. “Which is what the Directors expect. It is you who is going against direct orders. I’m only carrying out the standing orders from them, who happen to also be your bosses.”

“Laytner, you are about two sentences close to being fired right here and now,” Rose warned.

“Actually,” a new voice with an accent calmly broke in, “I would say you are two words away from being fired, Director Rose.”

The group turned as one to find Ianto and Jack Harkness-Jones standing by them. It was Ianto who had spoken. Rose’s jaw dropped, while Dee and Ryo grinned. Smith looked very relieved as he took out a hankie from his pocket to wipe the sweat from his face. The reception area was significantly cleared of most personnel coming and going.

“Directors,” Smith greeted. “Welcome to the 27th Sector.”

“Thank you, Warren,” Jack replied.

Ianto turned on Rose. “After we gave Director Laytner the go ahead, along with our full support for the sonic barrier project, we also gave him the authorization to speak to all agencies we would have to get full cooperation from, knowing he would discuss what needs to be discussed and not what you feel should be.”

“Or your lack of reaching out to various New York agencies about this project,” Jack added.

“We knew you were going to be off yesterday, which is why I had Dee and Ryo hold off until you were gone from the premises to reach out to the agencies we need on board with this project and start talks. We also had him hold off on signing off authorization for research to go full steam with the goal of developing a prototype that we will install and test in a station of our choosing. We will come to a decision on which one by the time the prototype is completed,” Ianto said.

“And we were absolutely correct in assuming if we had slipped out of communication, you would use that to your advantage of removing what you consider a thorn in your side, Rose,” Jack said, adding the quip with a grin that was not at all pleasant.

“You didn’t count on the reason for our not being in this time to be for us to travel here, didn’t you?” Ianto asked. “Jack and I will be running the 27th Sector for Dee while he’s gone, to assure he has a command to return to while business is conducted as usual, per how we expect operations to be handled.”

“Weevils will be captured and held, not killed unless it’s a last resort,” Jack added. “Yes, we’ve been standing here long enough to hear everything you had to say. Directors Laytner and Smith, along with Sub-Director MacLean all run Torchwood with our vision. You, however, do not.”

“I am starting to think that you have your own agenda while sitting loftily in your position,” Ianto stated. “That is going to change. We’re going to have a nice long talk in your office soon, and things are going to change. Either you get onboard with Torchwood’s mission or get off the train,” he warned. “Now, I believe Dee and Ryo have a busy day and still have things to do before they leave. So I suggest you go up to your office and think about how you are going to convince us to allow you to keep your position while we brief with our travelers.”

Rose glared at everyone before turning around and storming out of reception.

“Well now, that went better than expected,” Ianto announced. “Director Smith, you are welcome to join us with our briefing.”

“I have to say that I’m surprised at your appearance without any previous arrangements being made,” Director Warren Smith said, but he looked far from unhappy.

“Oh, but we did,” Ianto replied with a smirk. “Only we asked that our arrival be contained to only two people.”

“Which is obviously the same two you informed of this visit,” Smith said as he glared at Dee and Ryo. “I can’t say you’re not welcome.” He looked back at Dee. “And your visit was very well timed. You’re lucky, Laytner.”

“Luck had nothing to do with it, Chief,” Dee replied. “So, how about we take this to my office. We do have considerably less people here than when Rose decided to have his fit, but still, there are some things best discussed away from prying eyes and ears.”

“Agreed,” Ianto said, “which is another thing Rose is going to have to hear from us about. Lead on, Dee.”

“Oh wait a second,” Jack said. He looked around reception until he saw Bikky and Carol and gestured for them to come over.

Bikky didn’t hesitate and went right over.

“Rose was also giving Dee and Ryo hell while their children watched,” Jack added. “Hey kiddos,” he greeted the two teens.

“Hey Jack! Hi Ianto,” Bikky greeted, smiling brightly. “I didn’t know you were coming to New York,” he said but his blue eyes said otherwise, making the two men smile.

“He’s not the only one,” Chief Smith muttered, causing Dee to smirk and Ryo to look away, attempting to hide a smile.

“It was a secret,” Jack replied. “Your dads were under orders not to tell anyone.” He glanced back at Dee, who shrugged. Putting his attention back to the teens, he added. “Hi Carol. How’s it going?”

“Much better now that the mean old rat bastard got his what for,” Carol replied.

“He did have it coming,” Ianto had to agree. 

“Are you both going into the future with us?” Bikky asked.

“Not this time, Bikky, but it’s almost around that time to go somewhere on vacation,” Jack replied. “We came here to make sure we don’t have any snakes sliding their way into positions they don’t belong in while your dads are away.”

“The snake already slid into a position it doesn’t belong in,” Bikky said, frowning. “And all because he wanted to get into Ryo’s pants.”

“Biks!” Ryo exclaimed horrified.

“It’s true!” Bikky insisted.

“You may be right,” Dee said in what he hoped was his reasonable voice. With those under his command he knew it was the tone, and it usually worked. With Bikky, he could never be sure. “But as was just said, Rose was wrong for how he handled me and Ryo, and it would be just as wrong to talk about certain things here in a public location.”

“If you wait, I’ll give you a chance to say whatever you want about the subject before you all leave,” Ianto said. “Until then, keep it buttoned. Okay?”

“Yeah all right.” Bikky did not look happy but it seemed mostly because someone else other than him was right. Dee was certain that Ianto and Jack would let him have his say on how he saw the matter, and that pleased him.

Ianto and Jack would never ignore a child when gathering information because they felt that children, even somewhat jaded teenagers, had the ability to sense things different than adults, and many times would say something that would make them see a situation from a different angle than their own and would be very helpful.

“Carol can have a say too, if she so pleases,” Ianto added.

Carol nodded her head. “Oh yes, please!”

“Fine. That’s sorted. First I want to speak to your dads and Director Smith, and then we’ll send for you,” Ianto stated.

“And until then, why don’t you go to over to arrivals and say hello to Toshiko,” Jack said with a grin.

“You bought Toshiko along with you?” Bikky asked, excited. “I wonder if she brought along any new cool games.”

“She might have, but it’s probably on her laptop,” Jack replied.

“Oh. Darn. I was hoping I would have something new for the trip from New York to Cardiff.”

Jack gave Bikky a wicked grin. “You probably do, because she’ll be going along with you.”

“She is?” Bikky asked, excited.

Dee and Ryo exchanged a surprised look. “She is?” Ryo asked.

“Of course she is. We have a pack of children who will be out of school for over eight weeks, and for most of them, it is right in the midst of a term. We don’t want anyone falling behind because too much time went by and forget what they were doing in class. I know all parents got the lessons for the next week. Toshiko has volunteered to be part of your group as an instructor, and four hours a day will be school work.”

“Oh man!” Bikky exclaimed, looking disappointed. “And here I was thinking this was going to be like summer vacation in the middle of a term.”

“It’s only four hours, Bikky,” Ryo reasoned. “And if I know Toshiko she’ll probably add some things that you find fun but also will give you an advantage in school. I think that’s a good thing.”

“I know Toshiko enough that the kids will have trouble dealing with their normal teachers,” Dee said, “but what they will be bringing back with them will definitely help them gain advantage in their studies.”

Ianto nodded. “I thought so too, so when she came to us with this, it was easy to agree. I know I love it when she’s with us when we take such trips with our children. We can’t have her all the time, but we’re extremely happy when she does.”

“I think it will be awesome having Tosh teach us,” Carol said. “And she’s so much fun.”

“I guess,” Bikky said. “As long as she also has cool new games.”

Dee let out a laugh. “As if there won’t be enough cool new stuff for you to play with fifty years in the future.”

“That’s for the hours he’s not in instruction with Tosh,” Ryo replied with a smirk.

Bikky stuck his tongue out at Ryo.

“All right,” Ryo said, “head out to find Toshiko before I change my mind about bringing you, and then you’ll have to not only go to school for the rest of the week, but you’ll be helping Mother out at the home.”

“NO! I wanna go into the future!”

“Then quietly go find Toshiko now,” Ryo warned.

Bikky took a quick glance at Ryo before he grabbed Carol by her arm and pulled her out of reception to head over to the Time Travel sector.

 

OoOoOoO

 

“Well, that went better than we planned,” Ianto stated as the four men entered in the office Dee and Ryo shared. 

When they first entered the office, Dee started to sit in one of the chairs used by others when in their office, but Ianto gestured for Dee and Ryo to take their seats behind their desks. “You earned the right to sit behind those desks, no matter who is on this side,” Ianto said. “How many times do I have to tell you two that?”

“Sorry,” Dee said as he sat down behind his desk. “It just seems weird.”

“And how long have you been holding this position?” Jack asked amused.

“Five years, and you know it.”

“That was just rhetoric,” Jack said with a laugh.

“I overheard you telling Rose about emergency room reports,” Ianto stated as he sat down in one of the cushioned armchairs. “So I assume you got some of the preliminary reports back?”

“Very preliminary,” Dee replied. “Hospitals are not easily giving up their information, but we’re getting it slowly. That was the data we got so far from ten hospitals in the five boroughs. We have confirmed attacks in four boroughs.”

“We’re all pretty much certain that they won’t make it into Staten Island,” Ryo replied.

“Unless we suddenly get Weevils using the Staten Island ferry,” Dee quipped, causing the others to laugh.

“That might be true, but what about if they come through the Rift?” Jack asked.

“Staten Island has a very low Rift activity. We had only two since Ryo and I took over the 27th Sector,” Dee replied.

“Well, we’ll continue to help your people press more on the other hospitals for the data,” Ianto said. “They need to know how crucial that information is.”

“I have the best people in the field working on them, but it ain’t easy, Director,” Smith stated from the doorway to the office. He leaned against the frame with his beefy arms folded, “but we’ll drag it out of them.”

“I’ll be willing to lend a hand,” Jack said with a smirk.

“Now there’s an idea,” Ianto stated. “Jack’s really good at being such a major pain in the arse, they’ll give up what we need just to get rid of him.”

Jack did a double take before Ianto smiled at him.

Dee, Ryo and Smith all laughed, Ianto joining them. Finally Jack joined them. “I gotta admit, you may have a point there,” Jack commented.

“May?” Ianto asked. “But I love you anyway.”

“Dee has also been working with my investigative teams on seeking out the individuals and any other witnesses,” Smith stated.

“I’ll cover that while Dee is away,” Ianto remarked. “I trust you have the major projects you’ve been working on that we need to oversee while you’re gone? I know it’s only two days, but for anything sensitive that can be two days too long.”

Ryo patted a pile of folders on his desk. “Here is the hard copy on everything of importance.”

“And this pile here is hard copies of all the calls that came in overnight that I didn’t have a chance to go through. I just got the highlights, which do include more Weevil sightings. There seems to be more sightings around the Williamsburg Bridge area on the Brooklyn side,” Dee said.

“Could they be congregating over there?” Jack asked.

“Nothing definitive, but it is looking that way,” Dee replied. “We have unused piers by the bridge that are decaying, along with abandoned warehouses and auxiliary access to sewers and the subway.”

“I guess that means you really do have a Weevil infestation here, and not just one or two, like Rose insinuated,” Ianto mused.

“I really wish he was right on this one, instead of me, ‘cause this could get worse before it gets better,” Dee said.

“I’m with you on that,” Ianto agreed. “But here we are then. We have a training team who will be boarding an airship later today. Once they arrive here, it should take them a day or two to set up shop. You will need some training grounds for simulated exercises.”

“I’ve been looking into that,” Dee said. “I have some ideas, but I need to know just how practical do you mean for the exercises.”

“You’re going to tag the Weevils you have in captivity so they can be tracked,” Ianto said. “They’re going to become very useful between training as well as testing a completed sonic barrier.”

“That adds another layer in determining a practice field,” Dee said. “I think we’re going to have to contact the city to see if we can use an area of Roosevelt Island that is slated for demolition and redevelopment next year. I am hoping to get an area that will be like the conditions we have here, but if we’re using actual Weevils, I don’t want to use any area that is populated.”

“If you seem to encounter a brick wall, let us know,” Ianto said.

“And don’t let Rose tell you that it’s up to him to handle that, because it is not,” Jack added. “Now maybe if he actually did something that would benefit anyone other than himself, it might be a different story.”

“That is assuming he still has a place in Torchwood by then,” Ianto said. “I still need to handle this carefully because of who you are, but for as long as I’ve been the head of Torchwood, I have noticed individuals who impressed me and made sure they were groomed for top positions. Dee, you are one of them. Ryo, so are you.”

“Meanwhile Rose played it dirty to get himself placed where he is not only because he’s power hungry, but because he decided to follow Ryo and get himself in a spot where he thought he could bully his way into Ryo’s pants,” Jack said. “Oh, don’t give that look, Ryo. It’s no secret what Rose’s agenda was, and still is.”

“Plus he got himself too comfortable where he is,” Ianto said. “That’s going to be rattled. But I’m not going to say more on it. We’ll see how everything works out. He’ll have to deal with my authorizing you to do whatever you feel is needed concerning the Weevil situation without it going to him. Dee, you have complete charge on this, and as usual, Ryo is your second.” Ianto turned to Smith. “Warren, that includes you. Dee has control, but can come to you for assistance.”

“That includes carrying out anything Dee and Ryo may come up with, I suppose?” Smith asked.

“Do not suppose,” Ianto replied. “That’s exactly how it’s going to work. Ryo trained in Cardiff. So did Dee but his training was by me and Jack. They are your experts on Weevils when we’re not here, which is why I decided to give them full authority above and beyond anyone in Torchwood, Jack and I excluded. If I have to, I’ll create a new title to make that perfectly clear.”

“But you can still act without contacting us first,” Jack added. “Sometimes you can’t afford delay.”

Dee nodded. “I understand. Thank you for your confidence in us.”

“If we didn’t have confidence in your leadership, you wouldn’t be sitting at the desks you are,” Ianto replied with a wave of his hand. “Now, how are we going with the sonic barriers?”

“I have Research and Development working on the prototype. They say they can get one ready in a week,” Dee replied. “I thought about pushing them into five days, but I don’t want any errors because they pushed faster than they are comfortable. They are a great group, so if they figure they can get it sooner, they will.”

“You believe that by backing off, they will take less time then?” Jack asked.

“They work best without someone breathing down their backs,” Ryo said.

“Hint taken,” Ianto stated. “Do not keep looking into research and development.”

“They are very good with giving regular updates,” Dee explained. “Usually in morning and then just before shift change.”

“They have only one shift, don’t they?” Ianto asked.

“They do, but they were willing to expand to two shifts,” Dee said. “I didn’t have to ask because they know just how crucial the time factor is. Ryo worked with them on the shifts, so we have first shift from seven to seven and second shift is twelve to twelve. I’m pretty confident they will surprise us by completing sooner.”

“I certainly hope so, but Jack and I will take your example and wait for the reports to come to us,” Ianto said.

“Ryo and I set our computers so you can use them with full access to everything we have,” Dee explained. “So you shouldn’t have any problem with our private securities.” He smirked as he looked up at the two men. “Especially since we’ll have Ted and Toshiko with us. All I ask is that you keep the office locked up when you’re not in it. I don’t like anyone having easy access to our files. Especially a certain someone.”

Jack and Ianto traded amused looks. Ianto was very good with computers and could do his share of hacking if he needed, but he was yet to hack into any of Toshiko’s and Ted’s securities. Jack might boast that he was from the future and grew up around advanced technologies, but the colony on the Boeshane Peninsula that he had grown up on only had minimal technology, only slightly more advanced than what they had now. When Jack left to join the Time Agency, he had learned enough to do his job. He was never a computer technologist in his time. He could get around their computers and even do some hacking, but he always relied on others when he needed to get into a locked system because he was most likely to leave a trail. He could not even hack into any securities set by Ianto, so he could never get into anything set by Toshiko or Ted.

Ianto knew Dee and Ryo well enough that he simply stated, “You had both Ted and Toshiko work on yours.”

“Yes,” Dee replied. “Especially with Rose around. He’s pretty damn good himself, and he knows people outside of Torchwood that I’m twitching to get my hands on to bring them into the 27th Sector. We have some damn good people under Ted, but we need more people with promise to be in Ted’s and Toshiko’s league.” He leaned forward, resting his arms on his desk. “If you don’t have any better luck than we did with the hospitals in the city, we’ll have to take other measures. I’m only going to give them so much time to do things the proper way, but if I have to have my people hack into their records, I’m going to do it.”

“And we’ll stand by you if it comes to that,” Ianto assured Jack, “because we do the same thing.”

“I’m trying to keep Torchwood from barging in unwelcome,” Dee continued, “well, at least the 27th Sector. Whatever Rose does, I want nothing to do with and thankfully between Chief and I, we’ve managed to convince him to take other measures most of the time. So far people may groan when there’s trouble, but they do come to Torchwood for assistance, and that includes the other city agencies. I’d like to keep it that way. There’s still too many people in this city who have the wrong idea about Torchwood. Sometimes Rose does things that makes it hard to change that.”

“It’s a good thing that it’s your sector that has the hotline,” Jack said. “Ianto and I are due for a walk through here and see how things are going. That includes asking questions.”

“In other words, Rose is going to be sitting in his office for a long time wondering when we will finally show up,” Ianto stated. “And he had better be there when we arrive.”

Dee let out a snort and then laughed while Smith let out a loud guffaw. “Sorry, but I’ve been dealing with this bastard long enough. And I’m not sorry for calling a superior a bastard, because he is.”

“I believe you usually call him a rat bastard,” Ianto pointed out.

“With good reason,” Dee said. He took a deep breath and then looked at the time. “We should be joining the others soon and get on our way, so is there anything else you want us to go over with you?”

“I would like to have a quick look at your files, and discuss anything questions we might have,” Ianto said. “It shouldn’t take more than a half hour. And I also want it noted that I heard what you said about Rose doing harm to Torchwood’s reputation.”

“Let’s get at it,” Dee said. “To be honest, I’m really looking forward to the journey across the Atlantic. It’s been a while. Chief will be able to assist you with anything you have questions on,” Dee stated. “He usually works close with us on our cases and knows everything we do.”

“Except when to expect our bosses to arrive for a visit,” Smith commented with a huff.

“Once we get this Weevil situation settled, we’re going to have to sit down and plan a vacation,” Jack said. “It’s about due.”

“Yes, it is,” Ryo agreed. “I know this is like a vacation for Bikky, but for Dee and me this is work. We need to have a family vacation soon.” He glanced over at Dee. “But with everything going on right now, I have to admit I don’t know when it will be.”

“We’ll talk,” Dee said to Jack and Ianto after giving Ryo a strange look. “So let’s get through these folders.” He lifted his pile and stood up to hand them to Ianto. 

“Do you have any more information on the supplier of illegal weapons in Alphabet City?” Ianto asked.

“We did task Investigations with canvassing the area, asking about that woman,” Dee replied. “As you might figure, it was pretty hard getting more information out of the locals if someone felt they were incriminating themselves.”

“We wished we had more witnesses willing to speak to,” Ryo said, “but we did get several good accounts and we were able to get an image from holo-surveillance we have around the neighborhood based on the information gathered. We also got a match from Harlem and two matches in Brooklyn.”

“Where in Brooklyn?” Jack asked.

“Canarsie and Flatbush,” Ryo replied. “We have copies of the images in the files.”

“Obviously the image on the computer is much better,” Dee said.

Ianto came to one of the images and held it up to Jack. “The printed version is enough to confirm what Jack and I had suspected. This is Gwen Cooper. She was once engaged to Rhys, before he joined Torchwood.”

Dee’s mouth dropped. “Rhys Williams?” he asked. “That Rhys?”

“That Rhys,” Jack said.

“She’s the flighty fiancé who had disappeared?” Ryo asked.

“Not so disappeared anymore,” Ianto replied. “And apparently is causing headaches here.”

“Headaches doesn’t cover it,” Dee remarked. “She’s got even the NYPD up in arms over her as she is an equal opportunity seller. From what we were able to find out, she’ll sell to anyone who is willing to pay.”

“We also found out that she sells more than just weapons,” Ryo said. “Basically if it’s contraband, she has it for sale for anyone who wants it.”

“Great,” Ianto moaned. “That could be an ugly situation.”

“Especially if it’s not just the poor involved,” Jack said.

“We don’t have any evidence to indicate she is, but anyone willing to pay a large amount of money can get enough weapons to arm an army,” Ryo said.

“Including organized crime,” Dee pointed out. “I’m particularly concerned about the Blowfish that managed to create a syndicate.”

“Exactly what went through our mind,” Ianto stated. “And more than just weapons. Imagine what they can do having access to contraband from the future?”

“I don’t want to,” Dee said. “It’s a nightmare, and this on top of the Weevil situation. It’s an ongoing investigation that our police force was told it’s a priority. They are working with the NYPD and we have our other teams working with them.”

“Another thing to keep at the top of while we’re here,” Ianto said.

“Now that we know who she is, that could help us,” Dee stated. “We can have profilers work on trying to predict her next moves. Longshot, I know, but we’re doing everything we can to stop this.”

“I’ll have them contact Rhys and work with him. He knows her better than we do and can help. We have some contraband issues in the U.K. that we have not been able to get any information on where it’s coming from,” Jack said. “We already know that she can travel back and forth through time, which makes it easier for her to escape our radar, and she might be using transmat technology from the future as well.”

“Which is also contraband,” Ryo stated, “since bringing back anything that could compromise the natural advancement of technology is illegal.”

Jack held up his brown leather wristband. “I would love to go far enough into the future to get this repaired, but unless I can convince the Doctor into fixing it, I won’t do that. And as much as I hate when he broke it, I also can understand why he did. Society isn’t ready for transmat technology yet. Even if it would be just me and things would easier if we can go between here and Cardiff in a matter of seconds.” He shrugged.

“One of our objectives as Torchwood is to protect the time stream,” Ianto pointed out. “So I hate to admit I am forced to agree with the Doctor’s reasoning.” He put the folder off to the side and picked up the one on the top of the pile resting on his lap. “Onto the rest,” he said.

The four men commenced on a quick briefing on all their main cases that needed constant attention every day.

 

OoOoOoO


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team with their families travel to the future.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

 

Dee and Ryo entered the Departures sector located on the lower floors of the Torchwood tower with Ianto and Jack in tow. They walked through the large public lounge where civilians waited for their number to be called. Once a civilian’s number was called, they would be escorted to an office where a customs agent would once more go through the paperwork assuring it was all in order, give everyone to travel a briefing, especially on what they were not allowed to do, and then were taken to the transport area. If they were travelling into the past, they would be assigned a group unless the past trip was going home for someone.

Cardiff was more likely to have passengers travelling in the past to return to their own time. New York hardly ever had, but sometimes they did hold training modules just like the Torchwood Cardiff fifty years in the future. It was always because of time restraints so a team could go through a multi-week training module without actually taking several weeks in their own time.

Civilians who were travelling to the past for leisure or study were always put into groups overseen by a Torchwood Travel Agent. They always stayed with their group, the Travel Agents assuring that nothing was done in the past that could affect the future.

When Ryo was in the Time Patrol Sector, he would find himself being dispatched when a civilian managed to do something that threatened present time and fix it. He would then return to the present with the individual to face trial. When someone broke a Torchwood law, they were subjected to Torchwood’s own legal system. They did not have a jury, but the accused was provided with a Torchwood lawyer. Those lawyers were trained to feel out the situation and would decide if the offense was done intentionally or by human error, and then their job would be to convince the judge presiding over the trial that it was not intentional. Human error usually never saw any incarceration time. Those individuals usually would be blacklisted from time travel, the length on the list to be determined by the level of damage done. Torchwood did understand mistakes could happen, and the main reason for having the Time Patrol, and would not view everyone as guilty when a time offense had occurred. Those who were found guilty were sent to the Torchwood holding facility on Riker’s Island or if very severe turned the individual over to U.N.I.T., who functioned as Torchwood’s military support, and sent to one of the larger facilities on a U.N.I.T base.

Citizens who were travelling to the future were also assigned into groups under a Travel Agent, but were given more leeway to go off and explore on their own. Those who remained in groups were normally those who purchased a tour package or under certain conditions would be in groups for certain activities and that was only for keeping travelers safe. For those not traveling in a group, Travel Agents were there to assist and for local provisions as needed. 

Once a group was assigned, they would be taken into a chamber that was programmed to take them to the time they had purchased travel to.

The VIP Departures and Arrivals were together and located on another floor with an exclusive lift that was accessed in a different hallway other than the other lifts up to Departure and had been used by Ianto and Jack that day.

Dee and Ryo had arranged their teams’ departures and arrivals to go through the areas reserved in the public area but set aside for Torchwood staff.

Dee located J.J. as they entered the waiting lounge for Torchwood personnel. J.J. was placed in charge of taking attendance and to assure everyone was there, as well as make sure all luggage and equipment was accounted for to send over.

“It figures our illustrious leaders would be the last to arrive,” J.J. commented in greeting. He looked over to Jack and Ianto. “And I do mean ALL our leaders,” he added with a laugh. “Welcome Directors Harkness-Jones.”

They were running a little behind because while they were discussing business with Jack and Ianto, Ianto had called for Bikky and Carol and had a little talk with them, taking their statements as part of their investigation into Berkeley Rose’s handling of Torchwood and hopefully his eventual removal as Director of Torchwood New York.

“Can you get all the team members here, please?” Ianto asked. “The family members can continue to wait. Make sure you get Toshiko here too, since she’s not family.” He smiled at J.J.

J.J. gave Ianto a quick salute and rushed over to the rest of their team.

Once everyone was gathered and greetings with the main bosses went around, Jack called for everyone’s attention. Darla had offered to keep Aubrey with her family for the time.

“Listen up, everyone!” Jack clapped his hands for emphasis, which caused some of the Hollenswag children to also clap. Everyone smiled, stifling their laughter, Jack and Ianto included.

Sueki squatted down to the children’s level to quietly tell them to just stand and not do anything until their Papa’s new bosses were finished speaking. All the children nodded and placed a finger to their lips and gazed up to the four men in the front.

Dee covered his mouth and coughed before pulling himself together again. He wished someone would take a holopic of the seven children huddled together as they usually were.

“You are going to be the first team to go for Weevil handling training,” Ianto stated. “Your bosses will not be going through the same module as you will, but they will be around enough to supervise you. They both had already gone through the same module as you will so they’ll just be taking a refresher course. I understand everyone here already dealt with Weevils, but most likely it was not the proper way. Unfortunately, you didn’t have a choice because you had a job to do. The purpose of the training is to learn the most effective way to handle Weevils up close and achieve two objectives. One is to capture the Weevil with the least injury. We are dealing with living beings, and while for the most part they are dangerous, it was also determined by study that they are only so when they feel threatened. Owen firmly believes that if we could find a way to communicate with them, they would be less likely to attack. However, it does not appear we will be able to do that in the foreseeable future.”

He looked over to Jack. “We have more leeway in Cardiff allowing Weevils to run through the sewers and we only capture them when they appear where they can cause harm. In Cardiff, we usually tag them and let them go so we can track them. Even though you are training in Cardiff, your instructors understand that any Weevil captured will not be released to return to their packs. You will have to flush out all the Weevils and keep them in a holding facility. Owen will be coming over to work with those selected to oversee the facility, so the Weevils can thrive in the new environment. We hope that more information on Weevils will result from being able to observe their habits. That will not be your jobs, but from the way Ianto and I decided to structure this new sector, it will fall under the 27th Sector’s jurisdiction. All Weevils will be tagged as immediate after capture as possible. This is in the event that one may get away. At least you can track it for capture.”

Drake raised a hand and after Ianto acknowledged him, asked, “Will the 27th Sector be responsible for tracking any escaped Weevils?”

“Yes,” Ianto asked. “We do attempt to center all alien activity within your Sector and all the other sectors should be your support.”

“It doesn’t always feel like that,” Ted commented as Drake and J.J. nodded their heads.

“There are times we end up playing support to some other sector,” Marty said.

“Yes, we are aware of that, and we do know why that is so,” Ianto commented. “And we’re going to correct that. It might take some time but I do promise that it will be better by the time everyone returns. We’ll be speaking to everyone in the 27th Sector, especially the other two Command shifts, but you are the main Command team. You are all the heads of divisions within the 27th Sector, so I want everyone here know that you do have Jack’s and my support in running things.”

“Technically you are all in charge of all operations in Torchwood New York, and by extension, Torchwood U.S. Don’t ever forget that,” Jack stated.

“Director Rose won’t agree with that,” Marty stated. “After all, he keeps reminding us that he is the Director of Torchwood New York, which basically puts him in charge of Torchwood U.S.”

“That’s true,” J.J. spoke up. “He knows it and it’s hard to get around the fact that he is the Director of Torchwood New York, and that makes him our boss.”

“He can fire any of us that he feels is insubordinate,” Ted replied, “and if he does, maybe it might be for the wrong reasons, but he does have that right. Unfortunately.”

Ianto nodded his head. “I do see your concerns, and I apologize for allowing things to go as they have for so long. However we were in a position that we were unable to just walk in and remove him. Not without him running to the United Nations council and crying foul. You do understand why he is able to if he feels the need.”

“You know he would,” Ted said.

“We know that too,” Jack said. “And that is exactly why we waited until we had enough solid support to present should the United Nations call us in for removing him.”

“We’re getting there, but rest assured we have enough to start controlling him,” Ianto said. “I’ll admit we did set him up a bit, but his overall reaction was much worse than we expected, and revealed who he really is. And we do intend to use that to our advantage.” He rubbed his hands as he studied the team. “All I ask is of everyone is to continue doing the exceptional jobs you have been doing and keep believing in the charter we currently have in place. You’re all doing Jack and I proud and we’re pleased to have each of you in the most important team in this organization.”

Ianto paused to allow each person before him to bask in his praise and even gloat a bit. They deserved the right.

“This leads me to the second objective for the training you are about to embark on, and that is safety. We are asking you to come into close contact with the Weevils for capture instead of firing guns at them from a distance. Using weapons is a bad idea because of crossfire. Innocents can be caught in the fire as well as anyone in a response team. We try to avoid that whenever possible. You will also be trained on how Weevils usually react when engaged so you can keep yourself safe when in contact. I understand it doesn’t always work that way, but we do hope with training to minimalize any chance of injury or worse,” Ianto continued.

“Now with all the important things being said,” Jack stated with a grin. “You won’t be training all day. In fact, you’ll have normal work hours, even if they might rotate from day to night, and you will have weekends. Use that time to explore, do something with your families and have fun. I expect the children to return with stories to tell their friends and teachers when you return.” He smiled at everyone.

“Yes,” Ianto agreed. “You’ll have to balance working hard with having fun. Take advantage of where you are in your off time. Go find something to do that you don’t have here. That goes for the support people going along.” He looked over to Rollie, who stood with his family. “Make sure your newbie also takes advantage of his off time, and that his family has an amazing experience.”

“Darla already decided she would take Sueki under her wing while we’re all in training,” Marty said.

“Wonderful. My many thanks to your lovely wife,” Ianto replied. He looked over to Jack. “Anything else?”

“One more and this goes to the families,” Jack replied. “Can the families come a little closer? Rollie, you too. Tosh, stand right here next to me.” He looked around to make sure he had everyone’s attention. “We have quite a large group of children, most school aged. We know you’re missing only three days of school, but are actually going to be away from school for over eight weeks. That is unacceptable, especially since it’s not during an actual break from school. This is Toshiko Sato-Harper. She is Torchwood’s Director of Technology,” he looked over to Ted, “and your boss,” he said to the redhead. “She was gracious enough to endure this time away from her husband to offer her services as an instructor. She’ll be spending eight hours a day assuring everyone can step back into their classes with without risk of falling behind. Four hours will be with the older children and four with the younger. You might find that after class time, she can offer plenty of fun activities for when you’re not out and about enjoying future Cardiff.”

He waited while the children had time to be disappointed that it won’t be all play, and for those who that knew Toshiko to go from disappointment to looking forward what else she could provide for fun.

He looked at Ianto. “Now I think that’s everything. Unless your fearless leaders have something to say?” he asked of the group.

Jack and Ianto looked over to Dee and Ryo.

“Not right now,” Dee said. “I trust everyone got the briefing on what will happen shortly?”

Everyone nodded their heads.

“Good. Ryo and I will hold off our briefing until we’re settled on our transport to Cardiff. We’ll have about an hour or so, depending on how precisely we are inserted into the time, in New York. Try not to get lost, but everyone can do a bit of looking around, grabbing meals or whatever. All we ask if that when it’s time to board the airship, everyone is present,” Dee said. “And that’s all we have to say.”

Ianto nodded toward Jack, who clapped his hands together. “So, that’s it then. All we need to do is get you into the future.”

“I’ll let the staff know that we’re ready,” Ryo offered and went over to the main desk.

“Have fun everyone!” Jack called.

Jack and Ianto remained to speak individually to each team member, wishing them well. As they were called to go over to the chambers, Dee and Ryo lagged behind to say their goodbyes to Jack and Ianto, and thanking them again for looking over things during their absence, before joining their group to be transported into the future.

 

OoOoOoO

Upon arrival of their targeted arrival date of March 12, 3066, they discovered that their airship’s departure service airfield in Rutherford, NJ was delayed. The estimated boarding time was in three and a half hours. The group was escorted from the Arrivals chambers out of the Torchwood tower and over to the airship terminal. 

From what Dee was able to see, not much had changed in the area. Even the café in the functions mansion was still in operation. He wondered if the same people, or even family, owned it, but they were not to go into it for the same reasons they were escorted out of the tower from Arrivals. When it was time for them to leave they would have to be escorted back in. Everyone who worked for Torchwood did not have to be briefed to know it would be unethical to look around this Torchwood because it was too close to their own time. They were allowed to go around the city, but they could not purposely look into anything that might affect their own personal timeline.

Torchwood never offered travel so close in someone’s timeline to the public. Everyone in Torchwood had regular ethical training, which included time travel and if had to travel so close to their own time was trusted that they would not do anything unethical while in the time, but they could not be so sure with the average citizen who applied for time travel. The only Torchwood agents who travelled regularly close to their time were those who belonged to Time Patrol. Special authorization was needed for anyone else in the organization to travel so close. Dee needed conditions to be as close as possible and training that did not change too much over time. The training team already had to alter their modules down and using what would be available for them in their present time to capture Weevils. Going too far in the future would make it harder for instructors to train using tools and simulate the conditions that they would encounter in present day. Dee selected the absolute minimum that he was able to get, which was fifty years.

They were taken to a private VIP lounge so they were able to store the belongings that they were traveling with but did not want to carry if they were going to go out into the city. There were also couches and easy chairs for anyone who just wanted to relax, and a couple of tables. Before the escort left, she handed them badges that were their boarding passes and access to that lounge.

Dee told everyone they were free to do what they wanted and they were to meet back in the lounge in three hours. Everyone had decided they were going into the city to find something to eat off of Torchwood grounds. They all had been up early that morning and had breakfast before they left their homes or when they arrived for work. It was just after eleven o’clock when they had arrived, but to their internal clocks it was after noon and they were ready for lunch.

Bikky wanted to go to Times Square and tried to convince first Ryo, and then Dee to allow him and Carol to go. He had heard there was a huge amusement complex with many games and activities of the time, including a virtual amusement park far more advanced than the one in Upper New York. Ryo worried that Bikky would get carried away and forget about the time. The airship would not leave without anyone, but it would put them behind schedule and delay the vessel and crew if it had to be somewhere after dropping them off at their destination.

Besides it would be in bad form if everyone ended up having to wait for the Directors’ son.

Dee pulled Ryo aside and suggested a compromise and then pointed out that perhaps the Hollenswags would like to come along. Rollie had said his family would remain in the lounge for the time, but Dee suspected it was because he was hesitant to take his family out in an unknown time and risk getting lost or being late. Ryo agreed with Dee’s idea, so Ryo told Bikky they were all going to Times Square. They were going to look for someplace to eat lunch, and then Bikky and Carol were allowed to go off in the amusement complex on their own for a while. Dee went over to Rollie and Sueki and asked if the family would like to join them for lunch, and then pretty much made it known that “no thank you” was not an option. Sueki looked pleased and excited. So much that she rushed Dee to hug him, thanking him. He assured Rollie and Sueki that lunch was on him and to make sure they ordered anything they wanted without worrying about paying.

They all decided to eat in one of the restaurants in the complex, which was situated on Broadway and West 44th Street. It had a sophisticated menu for adults boasting a renowned five star chef and a different menu with children’s favorites. Ryo and Dee had to give the Hollenswags an extra nudge into ordering something that they really wanted instead of what they thought they should order. It did lead to the problem that the entire family did not know what to order because there was much Dee and Ryo, as well as Bikky and Carol, took for granted, but the Hollenswags had never had before. Dee decided he was going to take great pleasure in watching this family grow and become more comfortable with what should be standard things in their lives. He already had decided to sit down with them during the time and help work out how to add touches they might not think of to their new home. He was also very much aware that Rollie and Sueki welcomed improvement in their living conditions but did not want to lose the closeness they managed by sharing cramped quarters. Dee also had some ideas to pitch to the family for the children’s bedrooms. That would be for their time in Cardiff.

For now, it was having fun and enjoying the time given to them.

When everyone was done with their lunch, Dee left the Hollenswags with Ryo, the family still going on about how wonderful their roast beef and garlic chicken was. He had Bikky and Carol also wait with the others. When he returned, he handed out wristbands to Bikky, Carol and all seven of the Hollenswag children for unlimited use inside the complex. He also had admission tickets for all the adults, knowing that Rollie and Sueki would not allow their young children free run without their supervision. Bikky and Carol did offer to take the children on any rides they wanted for some of the time.

The time went by fast, and it took an effort to drag all children away from the complex and get on an airbus back to Torchwood. Ryo remarked he was glad they did come along because Bikky and Carol showed no indication that they were going to leave until Ryo went over to collect them. Even the Hollenswag children complained about leaving too soon, which amused Dee, even if he had to hide it from the others. He could see Ryo was feeling the same way. Those little ones were too timid about wanting something, so it felt really good to see them actually want something and be vocal about it.

They met up with the others who were back. J.J. and Drake were not back yet, but they did call in saying they were about to board an airbus and will be their way from lower Manhattan. They had ten minutes still until it was the time Dee said to be back by.

They actually had more time than the ten minutes before they would be boarding, but Dee wanted everyone to be back a little early to avoid anyone returning past their departure time.

J.J. and Drake arrived minutes before the set time. Ten minutes later, they stood by the window and watched their airship approach the terminal and then got prepared for when they would be escorted up to the boarding platform.

A tall willowy female with light mauve skin, red eyes and ebony hair tucked into a chignon under a scarlet cap with black lace that was part of her uniform entered the lounge. She wore a scarlet jacket in Edwardian style that fastened with black straps and silver buckles on the top that went down to her thighs with a wide black belt on her waist. The collar and cuffs were black. Under the jacket were fitted black pants tucked into black boots that zippered up the front with straps going across the zipper.

“Good afternoon,” she greeted with a smile and a bow. Her eyes scanned the group and settled on Dee and Ryo. “Esteemed Director Laytner and Sub-Director MacLean, on behalf of the crew of Torch’s Pride, we welcome you and your group.”

“It is our honor,” Dee responded formally with a bow, being prepped by Jack and Ianto once plans were finalized for the group on what he was expected to say on occasion because of his position. Ryo had more leeway even with his title, but Ryo was also the one more likely to say something proper than Dee. 

Dee came out of the bow with a wink and a grin, making the attendant blush prettily, her cheeks and nose now darker with almost a lilac shade.

Ryo rolled his eyes but also smiled at the attendant. “We look forward to your hospitality,” Ryo added, also bowing.

“I thank you both. I am Damika,” she said. “I will be your primary attendant looking after you comfort. If you require anything during the voyage, please contact me and I will see you get it. Now if everyone would please follow me, we are ready for boarding.”

Damika led them out of the lounge and into the lift up to the uppermost platform. They stepped outside and saw the silver gondola. On its approach to the terminal, it had looked larger than the ones they were used to, but up close they realized just how large it was. The red balloon with a black pattern of octagons was not visible because the long three-level gondola took up the entire opening on the platform. The overall shape of the gondola was rectangular but the metal hulls were curvy instead of having angles. The level of the gondola accessible from the platform had a center section with long windows set three feet apart. 

Dee whistled when as he caught a glimpse in the windows as they walked along the platform of what appeared to be a lounge. From what he was able to see, the interior of this airship was much more than the ones he was used to, and thanks to his position in Torchwood, he had travelled in style many times and thought the airships were very nice. This airship promised to be even more than he was used to.

Damika led past the section with the long windows toward the fore, where there were large round portholes. Damika was talking to the children, helping the parents make sure the children stayed within the safe zone until they reached the boarding ramp. She answered the younger children’s questions as best as she was able, which was no easy feat because all the children were asking questions at the same time. At the ramp, she promised the children that she would finish answering their questions once they were on their way, but added some of the questions would be answered during their quick tour of the airship. She then proceeded to assure everyone got across the ramp into the hatch.

They entered the airship through a reception area. The bulkhead was wood paneled in a rich deep redwood with brass settings. The deck had a Persian carpet in warm colors. It was exactly what the longtime Torchwood agents expected as it was a Torchwood craft. Because of the size of the group travelling, the flight from New York to Cardiff was chartered. There would be the regular run between Cardiff and New York leaving later that evening.

Rank had privileges and having a travelling group that included two division Directors and four department Chiefs definitely gave them privileges. They not only got their own airship for the voyage but they had Torchwood’s best for large groups.

Being that they normally did not take many trips into the future for work, this was Marty’s first trip in the future using Torchwood transportation. Darla and Marty’s children looked around the reception area in awe. Dee could not help the smile as he looked over to the Hollenswag children. They huddled together in a group before their parents, holding hands and staring around, little eyes wide and mouths hanging. It was also the first time they were quiet since they left the amusement complex. At first it was protests of having to leave and then it turned into excited chatter on what they had done. They had never done anything like that before and it was an experience for them. Rollie stood with his arm around his wife, both of them looking very impressed on what they had seen so far.

Drake broke the silence as he said, “And we’re yet to see the rest.”

Dee nodded. “Shall we check it out then?” He indicated to Damika to lead the way.

Damika indicated fore of the reception area, stating, “Beyond those doors is the flight deck. The pilots will extend an invitation to tour the flight deck at some point after we are underway.” She smiled in the children’s direction knowing she just answered one of the questions she was not able to get to yet. With a small bow of her head, she turned to go through the open hatch.

They found themselves in the section with the round portholes. The bulkhead was redwood with fabric wall covered squares surrounding the portholes. The fabric wallcovering was beige with brown and gold patterns. Along the bulkhead were black cushioned benches, the line of benches broken up by beige upholstered arm chairs. In the center of the section were beige couches and chairs in a square setting around a large redwood coffee table. The deck was finished wood, and under the coffee table was a round rug with in the same color and similar pattern of the wallcovering. A runner with an exotic pattern went fore to aft between doorways.

They were taken into the main section. The bulkheads were the same as in the section before, but the space was double and the windows went from almost the top to a foot from the deck and were two feet wide. There were five rows of sturdy wood benches seating six on each side set along each window.

Damika explained that everyone would be expected to be seated at the benches when they pulled away and during ascent to cruising altitude for the transatlantic flight, and then again when they approached their destination and docked. She added if they encountered turbulent conditions during the flight a call would be put out for everyone not in a stateroom to find a seat on a bench. It was all for safety.

Beyond the benches, there were more couches and chairs, with end tables secured to the deck. A few round tables and chairs were in the center. In the aft section of the area were formal dining tables, some set up by the windows. It was the dining area where they would take their meals during the voyage. That section was two levels high with a wooden walkway that went around the upper level and looking down into where they stood. There was a staircase also in the back section going up to the walkway.

They were moved into the aft sect, where one side was the galley, and the other side was another flight of stairs going up and one going down. A lavatory was under the stairs with had just a toilet and sink. The section narrowed going toward the back and at the end were glass doors. Damika opened the doors and to their surprise, there was an outdoor deck, with chairs and benches. The railing was high enough that any of the children should not go over, but Damika explained that no child under 13 was allowed outside without an adult. 

Standing on the back deck, they saw the deck went along the sides of the back end. Dee noticed the smaller airships and aircars surrounding the gondola. They were loading needed provisions onto their airship for the voyage. Other supplies were being loaded through the main hatch. Back inside, they were taken down the stairs. The lower level had the majority of the staterooms. Marty and Darla had one of the staterooms with a double bed and their children were in a crew room with bunk beds. Ted, Drake, J.J. and Toshiko were all given their own staterooms with single beds. The Hollenswags were given two crew rooms; one had a double bed for Rollie and Sueki, and a bunk room for their children. The two adults were given the crew room because it connected with the one for their children. Being they were used to cramped quarters, the family had no problem with their rooms, especially since the rooms were much more elegant than what they were used to until recently. Bikky and Carol were also given their own staterooms that were smaller than the adults with a twin bed in each room. Everyone was surprised to find the luggage they requested to have with them for the voyage already waiting for them inside their staterooms.

There were two crew rooms reserved for the flight crew who were accustomed to hot bedding during voyages. No one on the flight crew had their own bed, and would just crawl into a bed to sleep. Some of the rooms got smaller as they went toward the back because like the level above, the gondola narrowed almost to a point. 

Dee was already not expecting his and Ryo’s stateroom to be the same as the others or even on that level, but he wouldn’t have minded if he and Ryo got one of the staterooms on that level. Damika invited the others to get settled until the call came out for them to prepare to departure while she escorted Dee and Ryo to their stateroom.

Dee and Ryo were led back to the stairs as another crewman entered the hall. The crewman was sent to assist any of the passengers should they need it. They were taken up to the top level, where they walked through a wood paneled hallway and came upon the walkway they saw from below. Dee and Ryo paused for a moment, standing side to side as they looked down to the level below.

“This is gorgeous,” Ryo said. “It’s on the same caliber as the private airships my family has.”

“I had travelled to Ireland with Mother when I was younger on a Lane chartered airship and while top of the line, it had nothing on this one.” Dee took another look around. “Well, I guess it’s apparent that Torchwood airships get fancier in fifty years. Even Jack and Ianto’s personal transport isn’t anything like this,” Dee said.

“Who knows what they use in this time,” Ryo replied. “For all we know, Jack and Ianto are loaning this for our use.”

Dee chuckled. “Yup, that would be them the moment communication came through about our plans.”

Both Dee and Ryo took for granted that whenever they might travel, no matter how far in the future, that Ianto would still be alive and not aged much from the Ianto they knew, if at all. If Jack didn’t get himself killed, chances were he would also be somewhere in this time because he naturally had a longer lifespan and aged slowly because of his advanced genetics. Something Dee knew about. He had no idea where in the future he had come from, but testing from when he was younger determined he had come from a time where there was advanced genetic engineering. By the time he was ten, he had endured enough testing to know he had a natural long lifespan. He also healed quicker and would get sick much less than the average human of his time. Many times he encountered people who were surprised to find out that a Torchwood Director was so young because he still looked no older than twenty-five years old. He was thankful that the person he found as his soulmate was of an alien race known for slow aging and long lives.

He also had another feature in his genetic make-up that experts placed his origins two to three thousand years in the future, at the least, and that was his pheromones. Thankfully they did not make themselves known until he was sixteen and by then Jack was able to step in and teach him how to control them. He had to admit that at the beginning of his pursuit after Ryo, he had used them, but as he started to identify his feelings for the man he was partnered with for field operations as love, he curbed himself from using his pheromones. He had decided that if Ryo was going to come around, it would be on his own. Dee had vowed if Ryo had ever returned his love, it would be of his own free will and their love would be mutual. He was glad he had made that decision because what he shared with Ryo was perfect. Now they were living together, and were looking into Dee also adopting Bikky so they would be a family.

There was a small problem with their new living arrangements, but Dee had been too busy to think about it much until then. There was something on Ryo’s mind. Dee could feel it, because he was also empathic, especially with those he was close too. Something was bothering Ryo, but he wasn’t ready to talk about it. Dee was hoping Ryo was not rethinking his decision to live with him. He was hoping that Ryo would want to talk soon, and whatever was bothering his partner, they could work it out. Now that he had Ryo and Bikky under his roof, he really felt like he had a family of his own. He was ready to settle down as much as Torchwood would allow and enjoy being a family man. Sometimes Torchwood could be demanding, especially for someone who had Director in their title (unless it was Director Berkeley Rose of Torchwood NY), and Dee and Ryo both had aspirations to continue climbing within the organization somewhere in the future. However, if Jack and Ianto managed to balance heading all of Torchwood with four children, then it was possible if that’s what both Dee and Ryo wanted.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team sets sail on an airship for a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.

CHAPTER TWELVE

 

Before everyone knew it, they were settling in their staterooms on the airship as the vessel prepared for departure. When it was ready to leave, everyone was called down into the general lounge and to buckle in while the airship left the platform and headed across Manhattan, going up to an altitude that was higher than Upper New York. Everyone looked out the windows as they approached Upper New York. Children who were close to the windows had their faces pressed against the glass, straining to see as much of the city as possible, while the others who were not near the windows, leaned forward, craning their necks.

“Did anyone notice they are building new sky cities?” Drake asked.

“Yeah, there’s one there,” Ted said, pointing out the long windows by their seats at the sky city that was being constructed over the northern end of Manhattan.

Dee turned to look back to the two rows where all the children were buckled in. “Hey kiddos, do you see the new sky city being built?”

“Oh! That’s gonna be a pretty city!” Marty’s eldest daughter, four-year old Simone, exclaimed.

“I wanna see a sky city up close,” Mya stated wistfully as she stared out at the city being constructed in the distance.

“We’re going by it real close,” Aubrey explained, making Dee smile. “We can see lots.”

He glanced over to the row across where Toshiko sat. She rolled her eyes and laughed.

“Now that sounds like a child of Toshiko’s,” Drake commented with a laugh.

“I wish I can do more than just pass one,” Bradley pouted.

“We can’t go to one,” Mya remarked. “That’s only for fancy people.” She glanced down at her little hands folded in her laps.

“Master Dee, is that true?” Bradley asked.

“I’ve been,” Aubrey said. “I went to many.”

“But your momma is fancy,” Mya retorted.

“Can’t we go to one, please, Master Dee?” Jonny asked.

“Jonny!” Sueki exclaimed, sounding scandalized. She turned to face Dee. “Master Dee, I beg forgiveness for my children’s rudeness.”

Dee chuckled and smiled at the horrified woman. Next to her, Rollie sat, his look matching his wife’s. The ridges on his forehead twitched nervously. “No need for apology,” he assured the two parents. “Never apologize for a child having dreams and desires.” His smile grew. “That’s what my mother always says. And because of her, I always encourage it with any child, regardless of their social level. Mother always accuses me of spending my money spoiling the children in the home. I do it because I think it’s good they have something to strive for.” He looked back to the children. “You’ll all see more than one sky city on this trip, and even after we get back. I promise you that. And for the record, your father is Torchwood now. That means you are all ‘fancy people’ now.”

All the Hollenswag children clapped and squeaked in excitement, their big bright eyes fixed on Dee as if he was a hero. “Thank you, Master Dee,” Bradley exclaimed, and then the other six repeated the same.

Rollie leaned forward and said to Dee, “I’m so sorry that you feel cornered into doing this for my family.”

Dee waved him off. “No worries, Rollie. We were all going to hit up Upper Cardiff when we get there. It’s not like I just decided this. I had already made arrangements to do some sightseeing our first day there. That includes going to Upper Cardiff for dinner and family entertainment.”

“We always do that when arriving in a new place we’re to be in for a while,” Ryo explained. “I find a strange new place doesn’t feel so after seeing some of it and taking in some local fun.”

“How strange can Cardiff be for you and Director Laytner, Sub-Director MacLean?” Rollie asked.

“First of all, drop the titles just like at work during this journey, Rollie. I’m Ryo and that’s Dee. Please get used to that.”

“Speaking of getting used to, Rollie, Sueki you too, Rollie now makes enough money that a family trip every so often to Upper New York is possible,” Dee stated. “In fact, you can even have a getaway on your own. Something to think about while we’re on this trip.”

“I am trying but there are just so many things I’m getting used to now,” Rollie replied. “Last week I was working the docks and any other job I can to make sure my family had a roof over their heads and food on the table. We went through rubbish bins for clothes. Sueki would disassemble clothing for cloth to make clothes for the children and sometimes have something to make clothes for us. You saw the flat we were living in.” Rollie shrugged. “It’s all changed now. It’s like winning the lottery to us. We’re all extremely grateful.”

“I know it’s going to take some time, but you have to take your first steps. So please start by calling us by our first names,” Ryo stated with a friendly smile. “Now to answer your question about Cardiff, fifty years can bring many changes and this is our first time in this particular time slot.”

“Yeah,” Ted said, joining the conversation. “Time Travel is set usually for no less than 200 years, depending on the race of the individual who is travelling. That’s so you don’t bump into a future version of yourself. You’ll understand it all once you completed the required ethics courses.”

“You are to go through the first course while we’re on this trip. Your family will also have to take a traveler’s course too. Normally you can’t travel without completing one, but there wasn’t time. I signed a bond for you,” Dee said. He looked at Sueki. “Once you complete the course, you’ll be required to take a refresher every year for a few years. Being that your husband is in Torchwood, you’ll get priority seating for it.”

“You said the family,” Sueki said. “Does that mean the children? They are only six years old.”

“Torchwood offers courses aimed for children,” Ryo explained. “They don’t need to know everything you should yet, so it’s basic and involves playing, singing and other activities they find fun. They come out of it with the basics.”

“If you allow them to take the class every year, just a few hours a year, by the time they are 18, they can sign a waiver and then require refresher courses every five years,” Dee said. “Which after ten years, Sueki can also. I’m afraid for the rest of us in Torchwood it’s a refresher course every year at least. It’s part of the required training we all must have as long as we’re in Torchwood.”

“Will we be time travelling that much?” Sueki asked.

“Well, Rollie’s with us not even a week and here we are,” Dee said, spreading his arms to indicate everyone and the airship. “And then he will have the option open to him for family vacations.”

“That sounds lovely, but would we be able to afford such wonderful and lavish adventures for a family vacation?” Sueki asked.

“Of course you would,” Marty assured her. “When I first started Torchwood, I was general support. We already had Martin Jr. and Jayden. I found getting an employee travel package into the future cheaper and more affordable than a cabin in the Catskills.”

“I have a question,” Rollie said.

“What is it, Rollie?” Ryo asked.

“What is this vacation you are speaking of?”

The others all laughed until they saw Rollie was not laughing with them.

“You do know what a vacation is, do you?” Dee asked, losing his grin.

“I’ve heard of it, but never had one. I hear it is paid time off for up to a week or so, but whenever I had to take a day off, it was without pay and a warning that too many days would lead to dismissal, especially if the day is taken off without advance warning,” Rollie explained.

“The docks don’t give time off?” Ted asked.

“No, they don’t,” Rollie replied. “So when they shut down one week a year for the holidays, I usually ended up putting more hours in one of my other jobs.”

“Meanwhile I am certain all the executives got paid time off even if they made more than enough,” Ted remarked.

“And able to take off as much as they wanted with pay too,” Dee stated as he started to frown. “Sometimes we take for granted just how good we have things.”

“Just as long as we never take for granted those who are the lower levels,” Ryo said.

Dee nodded. “Agreed. I know we try the best we can for those directly under us, but I know Rose can be a little harsh on those directly below him. At least he can’t be as greedy as the dock companies because of Torchwood protocol.”

“Still he can be a right bastard to whoever he chooses,” Dee growled.

“So he thinks,” Toshiko replied. “Ianto and Jack already suspect that and remember that they will be going around and talking to everything they can to put things right.”

“I hope they do,” Dee sighed. “Anyway, we went off course. So we need to make sure Rollie takes advantage of vacation time.”

“That was another thing,” Sueki said. “Even if he did get some time off, he still had other jobs. So we never would have been able to go away if by somehow we were able to afford it.”

“Well, you could now,” Dee said. “He has one job that gives four weeks paid vacation for starters. He can take them however he wants to – depending on what’s going on,” Dee explained. “But if I can’t give you a certain request off, I’ll make sure you get it off as soon as I can let you. Sometimes we will have to recall vacations but not often and only if something major is going on. The four weeks does not include taking a day or two off for personal reasons. You put in a formal request, and if I can spare you, I’ll grant you the time off.”

“Most times Dee will make it work so he can give the time off,” Drake stated. “Very rarely we’ve been denied a personal day off. Like a Dalek invasion or something like,” Drake added.

“Basically end of the world stuff centered in our jurisdiction,” Ryo said as he wrote something in his pocket-sized notepad. “That goes for vacation time and personal days.”

“Just don’t abuse it,” Dee remarked. “Not that I believe you would, Rollie, but I gotta say it. It goes with the position and all. I know when someone is trying to work me and then it’s not pretty.”

Dee was willing to bet it was a note to investigate the docks when they got back. The dock workers were supposed to have a union and Dee knew that unions provided paid days off. He made a mental note to get Rollie alone along with Ryo and ask if Rollie was ever in a union and if he wasn’t, then why. Dee did not feel it appropriate to ask with all present including families. He was certain Ryo felt the same because he did not ask anything yet when it was obvious the question was on his mind. At least it was obvious to Dee, who knew how to read his partner’s body language. 

For the time, he simply commented, “If I don’t grant the time off, chances are because we can’t let UNIT have all the fun.”

Everyone in Torchwood except for Rollie laughed.

“I don’t trust UNIT,” Rollie stated.

“Hey Rollie really is Torchwood!” Ted exclaimed with a laugh making the other Torchwood staff grin.

“I can tell you that most of us don’t trust UNIT,” Toshiko agreed, and then shuddered. Rollie gave her a questioning look. “Long story. I’ll tell you about it sometime during this trip. Unfortunately, they are a necessary evil at times.”

Dee nodded. “You know, Tosh, I think if it’s not too much for you, it’s a good idea to sit Rollie down for a little story time.”

Toshiko looked at Dee in confusion for a moment until she remembered what Ianto had told her about Rollie Hollenswag’s sudden employment with Torchwood.

He was in the same position as she once had been in because of Ianto’s kindness. “Of course,” she agreed with a smile. “It will be my pleasure to share with Rollie.” She looked over to the alien man. “After dinner, Rollie, we’re going to have a little talk. At the start you might not find it a pleasant story but I promise you that it ends with the best thing that had ever happened to me.” She smiled brightly. “Sueki, if you like, please do join us too.”

Sueki looked uncertain but Rollie took her hand and squeezed it. She gazed over to Dee, who was watching them with a contented smile. She returned her attention to Toshiko and nodded. “We will both join you after dinner.”

“Which by the way, Captain oh my Captain,” Ted commented, “when will that be?”

Ryo let out a very undignified snort and rolled his eyes. Dee turned to face him completely. “We just had lunch, man,” Dee stated incredulously.

“I believe supper will be at 6, if they still go by airship schedules in this time,” Ryo replied.

“Six?” Ted groaned. “Really?” When both Dee and Ryo, joined by J.J. nodded their heads, he added,   
“Do you think they have snacks if I start getting hungry before that?”

It was Dee’s turn to snort. “Relax Ted. It’s very likely that they’ll be serving tea at three,” he said.

“Tea is not a snack,” Ted whined.

Marty reached over to smack the back of Ted’s head. “You dummy. Tea is a service, including some food. You should know that?”

“Oh yeah. Right. I do know that,” Ted replied relieved. 

“If Tea service is like the Torchwood airships we’ve travelled in before, then we will be lucky to have enough room for supper,” Ryo commented.

“Hey look, kids,” Dee stated, quickly changing the topic. “We’re coming in real close now to the new sky city. You can see the men working.”

All the younger children leaned again so they could get a better look out the window. “Look at the city!” Simone, Marty’s oldest daughter exclaimed as she pointed excitedly.

“I wanna build sky cities one day,” Martin Jr. stated.

“When you’re old enough,” Darla stated.

“Me too,” Himyan exclaimed excited, waving his little hands frantically. He looked over to his parents. “Papa! Momma! I’m gonna build sky cities too!”

Rollie and Sueki shared a nervous look.

“You have to get outstanding grades in school,” Dee stated to the two children.

“I get outstanding grades,” Martin Jr. retorted.

“So you keep on getting them,” Marty said to his son with a smile.

“My kid will have to go to a better school,” Rollie said low. “They’ve been going to public half-day, because it was all I could afford for seven kids.”

Most of the poverty level children were not required to spend a full day in school and many poor families took advantage of the half-day option. It wasn’t the same as full day classes since the children were basically getting only half an education and it was just the basics – rudimentary math and English with a little reading. The schools were in old warehouses or wherever else a space could be rented for a cheap price and the classes were over-crowded with children of all ages learning the same thing. Children attending those classes attended until they were ten and then were done with school. Rarely a child was able to transfer over to a normal school by then because they would be too far behind and in many cases, unable to catch up or understand the lessons. The half-day program was approved on the basis that the poor did not need much of an education and were destined to spend their working days doing menial tasks for cheap pay.

Dee hated those half-schools but there was nothing he could do about it because it was sanctioned by not only the Lord Mayor’s office but also the Lord Governor’s office in Albany. The half-day schools were open to anyone under a certain income level for a minimal one-time fee for each semester and included human and non-human children.

“I thought public schools were free?” J.J. asked.

“They are,” Ryo replied. “Lessons are free, but books aren’t, dress codes even if they do not have to wear uniforms, school lunches, sports and much more. Bikky insisted on staying in public school, and it still cost me a small fortune.”

“And you’re trying to talk him into going to private secondary school?” Dee asked.

“I’m hoping it would help him in getting even better grades than he’s been getting lately,” Ryo replied. He shrugged. “I can afford it.”

“We can afford it, you mean,” Dee corrected with a smile. “Speaking of affording, Rollie, Torchwood does have programs for kids of lower level alien team members. It might be too late for this semester but if you fill in the request paperwork, you might get them in after the holiday break. You can keep them in the program until you start making more and can afford to pay for the schools yourself.”

“Really?” Rollie asked.

“You can get your kids into a school that will give them a chance to become anything they want. Like building a sky city,” Ryo stated.

“Hell, they can have a chance to design sky cities, if they want,” Dee commented.

“Barry’s a sky city engineer, isn’t he?” Marty asked of Dee’s longtime best friend.

“Among other things,” Dee said with a grin. Looking at Rollie and Sueki, he explained. “Barry is a friend of mine from since we were kids. We were ten years old when Tommy, who lived in the orphanage, and I met Barry. He lived in the projects in Inwood. Shortly after he was born, his father had an accident at work and it left him disabled. His mother, who was uneducated, had to find work while caring for her infant son and her husband. She went into service, but since she lacked the proper education, she could not get any of the prominent families. Like you, Rollie, she worked long hours. At least Barry’s dad was able to care for him. Anyway, they were poor people but good. Tommy and I became good friends with Barry. Barry managed to work hard in school. He was always a tinkerer. Really good with mechanics. I mean it came naturally to him, so he got into a vocational secondary school. He took up mechanics. Got himself a scholarship into Columbia and got his engineering degree. He went into construction. He started designing buildings, and then buildings on sky cities. He owns a construction company and still a tinkerer. Oh, and he also designs airships.” 

“Wow! He must make a lot of money,” Sueki commented. “And enjoys his work too, I hope.”

“Oh he loves it, and he does alright. Got a nice house in Midwood in Brooklyn, his kids attend private school and his wife gets to shop on Fifth Avenue,” Dee replied.

“And what about this Tommy?” Rollie asked. “What became of him?”

Dee lost his smile. “He’s in prison.”

From the pinched look on his face, it was easy for everyone to know that was the end of that topic. The other guys in the unit knew the story of how Tommy ended up in prison, but knew Dee would rather not talk about it.

Rollie read the look correctly. He leaned back in his seat and stretched. “I hope we can stand up soon. I need a better stretch than this.”

“It should be soon,” Ryo replied. “Once we clear the sky cities, we should be allowed to roam around.” He looked over at the children and smiled. “It’s probably near nap time for the little ones, is it?”

Sueki nodded. “Oh yes. Especially after the day they had so far. They will probably try to stay awake but soon they’ll be dropping off to nap if I can get them in their beds long enough.”

Ryo laughed. “The first time I took Bikky on an airship for a long voyage, he was so excited he wanted to stay up late just so he could keep looking out at the sky.”

“Ryo! Stop telling stories of me when I was a kid!” Bikky called out, blushing slightly while Carol giggled.

“When he was a kid!” Dee exclaimed with a laugh. “Like he’s a grown man now. Listen up, rugrat, you’re still a kid and giving us even more stories to tell when you are a man.”

Aubrey looked up at Bikky. “It’s a good thing you’ll be going with Miss Carol,” he exclaimed with a cheery tone. “’Cause she knows all the silly things you do.” 

Carol started to laugh as Bikky remarked, “Shush it, rugrat.”

Ryo leaned against Dee and started to laugh into his shoulder. “He’s even starting to sound like you now,” Ryo commented.

“I always thought he sounded more like Dee than Ryo,” Toshiko remarked, also laughing.

“They even have the same decibel level,” Ted commented.

“Loud,” Drake added with a laugh.

“Here I take everyone on a lovely trip,” Dee grumbled, “and you all decide to pick on me.”

“I’m not,” Ryo commented. “I’m laughing at what Aubrey said.”

“Lovely?” Drake asked. “Maybe this trip across the ocean might be, but that’s only to sweeten us up before tossing us to the Weevils.”

“Oh damn,” Dee remarked. “You saw right through me. Well, laugh it up while you have your chance,” he raised the pitch of his voice, “‘cause there be Weevils waiting for you, my pretty.”

All the younger children laughed at Dee, who had flashed them a grin. Sueki and Darla giggled while they shook their heads.

J.J. laughed and clapped his hands with delight. Ryo stared at J.J. “You find it exciting to be messing with Weevils?” he asked.

“Oh no,” J.J. remarked, making a face. “Especially after having the dubious honor of being face to face with one of those beasties with Dee-sempai.”

Ryo set his mouth into a thin line. “Yes, it probably is quite exciting capturing Weevils with Dee.” He turned to look at Dee, looking him in the eyes. “No Weevil hunting with J.J.. Get it?”

Dee grinned as he slipped an arm around Ryo’s shoulders. “I promise I’ll go Weevil hunting with you and no one else.”

“That’s not true, Dee,” J.J. commented. “We went Weevil hunting together just last week.”

Drake smacked his partner on the head. “You dumbass. You’ve heard about how the Directors go Weevil hunting together in Cardiff, haven’t you?”

“What?” J.J. asked, confused. He stared at his partner, trying to determine if he was being set up.

“It’s a euphemism,” Ted explained with a laugh. “They would go off in an aircar under that pretense for a little nookie time.”

“Oh right,” J.J. said. He looked over at Dee. “I wish I could go that type of Weevil Hunting with Dee.”

“Back off, J.J.,” Ryo snapped. “Time to start finding your own man.

J.J. glared at Ryo for a few seconds and then he started to pout. Drake shook his head and placed a comforting hand on J.J.’s shoulder. “Honestly J.J., I don’t know why you keep up with this. You know Dee’s with Ryo and he’s not going to suddenly change his mind on that. They’re living together now. So it’s probably best to take Ryo’s advice.”

“That wasn’t advice,” J.J. said sullenly. “That was Ryo being mean.”

“Dude, Ryo said to back off Dee and get your own man,” Ted said. “Sounds like advice to me. Drake and I have been telling you this for years, J.J. Time to find a new Mr. Wonderful God to make miserable and leave Dee alone.”

J.J. started to stand up just in time for Damika to come over to them. “The Captain has cleared the deck for movement now. Our apologies for keeping you seated for so long, but there were winds that were higher than normal.”

J.J. immediately got up and quickly made his way toward the stairs.

“J.J.,” Drake called after him. “No need to go off in a huff because you were told the truth for the thousandth time.”

The only response from J.J. was a sniffle.

Ryo stood up and folded his arms. “Well, I’m not apologizing,” he said. He looked at Drake and Ted. “You two shouldn’t either.” He glanced down to Dee, who still sat, appearing to gaze at the sky city they had recently passed but was still in view. “Dee?” he asked.

Dee looked up and shrugged. “I hate getting the little guy upset, but you all do have a point there. No, no one should apologize.” He sighed heavily and added, “At least he no longer crashes into me when he sees me. It took him how many years for that? I figure we have about 3 or 4 more years before he actually stops mooning over me.”

Ted let out a laugh. “Leave it to Dee to make sense out of it all, but damn, you’re probably right. As scary as that sounds.”

Drake looked back toward the stairs. “I guess maybe I should head on down and make sure he doesn’t try to fling himself off this beast. If you will excuse me.”

“Go ahead, Drake and take care of your partner. Try to get him cheered up in time for tea, if you can,” Dee said.

The group watched as Drake headed for the stairs. Dee noticed that all the children, including Bikky and Carol were no longer there, along with Toshiko, Rollie and Sueki. Laughter could be heard from beyond the galley.

Dee looked over at Ryo. “It really wasn’t your fault, I know that. But did you and Drake really have to gang up on him?” he asked Ted. “I understand why you said what you did, and I back you up completely, but you know how J.J. is and how he can get.” 

“Couldn’t you have waited until we at least landed in Cardiff?” Marty asked.

Ryo waved off what Marty said. “I don’t see J.J. as the type to want to kill himself. He can be more of a pain in the ass when he’s upset than when he’s not, which come to think of it, that can be bad for us while he’s upset. This airship is pretty big but not that big.”

“Give Drake some time and he’ll get J.J. back to his usual bouncy self,” Dee assured the others. 

“Yeah, Drake sure could raise J.J.’s spirits,” Marty mused. “Even better than you can, Dee.”

Dee started to stare at Marty.

“What?” Marty asked.

“I think you may be onto something, and I think it could be the answer to everything,” Dee stated.

“Huh?” Marty and Ted said in unison.

“Oh!” Ryo exclaimed. “That’s brilliant, Dee.”

“What’s brilliant?” Ted asked.

“J.J. seems very responsive to Drake,” Dee explained. “And Drake definitely has a soft spot for J.J.”

“That would be great, but we have a problem with that idea,” Ted said. “Drake’s straight.”

“And I thought I was straight too before I met Dee,” Ryo commented.

Marty and Ted stared at each other before Marty said, “And how do we plan to pull this off?”

“Yeah. I would hate if we have to keep hurting J.J.’s feelings all the time just to push Drake on J.J.,” said Ted.

“No you wouldn’t,” Ryo said lightly, making the other adults laugh.

“We have time. Let’s all think on it for the rest of the trip,” Dee said, “but I really do think they both need to open their eyes and see what’s in front of them.”

“I hate to point this out, but usually when J.J.’s eyes are his most open, it’s usually Dee in front of him,” Ted said.

Ryo glared at Ted, who held up his hands in surrender. “I’m just saying,” Ted remarked.

Dee took Ryo by his hand. “Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but it’s been a pretty hectic day so far and I think I want to rest up a bit before tea. After all, I suspect at some point tonight, the tiny-mites are going to keep us busy until it’s their bedtime.”

“I don’t know about Rollie’s kids, but I know mine always get excited when we travel. It’s going to be hell putting the demons to bed tonight,” Marty said.

“I know Bikky likes to stay up at night and watch the sky at least the first night during a voyage,” Ryo said.

“And then about day 4, the kiddies will start getting cabin fever,” Dee said. “By the time we arrive, we’re going to be good for sleeping a day to recover from that.”

Ryo smirked at Dee. “Sounds about right,” he agreed. “And yet, you booked us to go sightseeing on that first day.”

“Hush you,” Dee commented.

“Why?” Ryo asked with a grin. “Gonna punish me?”

“Okay, time for me to get some rest too,” Ted exclaimed and quickly made his way toward the stairs.

“I think this is my cue to find out what my family is up to,” Marty said and also walked away, but headed toward the galley.

Dee broke out in laughter. “I say something like that around that lot, and I get shit back for it. You say it and everyone clears the deck.”

“I was afraid they were going to hold us up much longer.” Ryo gazed up at Dee with smoky eyes. “Ever since I saw our quarters, I’ve been thinking about trying out that bed.”

Dee slipped his arm around Ryo’s shoulders and started to guide him toward the center lounge and the flight of stairs going up. “Something tells me we ain’t going to be doing too much resting up.”

“Yeah, but I know you, and you’ll definitely be relaxed by tea,” Ryo said.

“Lead on then,” Dee commented with a grin. 

 

OoOoOoO


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, Dee and Ryo learn more about their newcomers while Rollie and Sueki learn more about Torchwood.

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

 

 

Ryo and Dee came down the stairs into the dining area to find Drake already seated at a table, while J.J. was across the main section with the younger children. They were clustered around the window, the children giggling and pointing out other airships in the distance as the airship sailed over the Atlantic Ocean.

 

Dee grinned as he watched the group. On a couch in the seating area Rollie and Sueki sat with Marty and Darla, engaged in a conversation. Darla had vowed to take Sueki under her wing and show the alien woman in getting used to her new station of life.

 

Two of the tables were switched out for lower tables and children’s chairs. The tables were already set with patterned stoneware plates and cups in bold colors.

 

“Hey look,” Ryo stated as he pointed to the lower tables, “they set up children’s tables.”

 

“Now that is a nice touch. I wonder if it will be this way for all meals or just for tea?” Dee asked.

 

“I don’t know. We should ask Damika. I think I prefer to have Bikky seated with us for supper,” Ryo replied.

 

“I’m pretty certain Marty and Rollie would feel the same about having supper together with their families,” Dee said. “But let’s check with them and then speak to Damika.”

 

“Sounds like a plan. If the kids like it, I do think having their own service for tea is a great idea,” Ryo said.

 

“Yeah, I have to agree.”

 

Ted entered the section from the corridor and when he saw Dee and Ryo, he walked over to join them.

 

“Hey, have you seen Bikky and Carol?” Ryo asked, noticing the two teens were nowhere to be seen.

 

“Yeah,” Ted replied. “They’re on the back deck with Tosh until tea is served. Aubrey wanted to stick close to his new little friends, so J.J. offered to keep an eye on all the peewees. Damika assured she would let them know once the tables are set.” He grinned as he looked at the single person sitting at the table. “Why do I get the feeling that Drake is hungry?”

 

Dee let out a laugh. “We should move him so the servers can get the food on the tables, but it would be amusing to watch.”

 

“I’m not even sure how they handle it on this ship,” Ryo replied. “Sometimes they wait until everyone is seated before serving, while other times you are seated once the food is set up.”

 

“Damika said it doesn’t matter on this airship,” Ted replied. “However, I’m sure they will have problems if he starts tapping the table with the silverware.”

 

“If they were smart they would leave the silverware for last,” Dee quipped, making Ted laugh.

 

“It looks like they are starting to set the tables now,” Ryo said as two servers came into the area pushing a cart with tableware. “So are we going to take a seat at a table, or shall we sit somewhere else. I don’t think we should be standing here watching them do their job.”

 

“True,” Dee agreed. “Well, if it doesn’t matter, let’s stop Drake from looking so stupid there.”

 

Ted let out a laugh. “Ain’t that the truth.”

 

As they started to make their way to the table Drake was seated at, the two couples by the couches stood up and headed over to the tables.

 

“Oh look,” Dee commented as he glanced over while taking his seat across from Drake. “The ladies have changed for tea.” He let out a sigh as they approached. “Dammit, I sat down too soon,” he added as he realized that Ryo and Ted remained standing once they noticed the two women were coming over to the table. He stood up with a smile. “I didn’t realize we were going formal.”

 

Darla smiled back at Dee. “I figured I could use this trip to help Sueki get adapted to society life.”

 

Sueki blushed slightly as she glanced down for a second. “Darla and I went shopping the other day.”

 

“I thought it would be good to have some new proper clothes,” Darla explained as Marty held out a chair for her. She sat down gracefully and continued. “We only got a couple of things just for the voyage. Once in Cardiff, we’ll go on a proper shopping spree.”

 

Both Marty and Rollie looked horrified. Rollie froze in the act of holding out a chair for Sueki and gazed over to Marty.

 

“I don’t think the fashion has changed all that much since our time,” Marty stammered. 

 

“Besides, what will you do with the clothes when we get back?” Rollie asked.

 

Darla looked up at Rollie. “Well, if the fashion hasn’t changed much then we can continue to use them.”

 

“But Madam Lane has outfitted you with such lovely clothes,” Rollie said as he sat down next to his wife.

 

“Lovely yes, but it’s only a start. Sueki should have more formal gowns for tea,” Darla said. “After all, she is a Torchwood wife now.”

 

“I’m only just at entry level,” Rollie stated, “and doing general duties. It’s not like I’m upper level or anything.”

 

“Yet,” Ryo commented. “Sure you’re starting at entry level, but you did just start with us. That doesn’t mean eventually you can’t start making your way up the ladder. Not to mention you are currently stuck with a team that has a lot of social obligations, spouses included.”

 

“Do you really think I can?” Rollie asked. “Work my way up, that is. I worked on the docks for ten years and never stood a chance to even become a team supervisor.”

 

“That’s terrible,” Ted stated. “Don’t tell me you need to have money to move up?”

 

“Exactly,” Rollie stated. “Not to mention you have to be 100% human to be eligible for any type of promotion other than general laborer.”

 

“Rollie,” Ryo stated, “I think after tea, Dee and I want to have a little talk with you about the docks. Isn’t there a union?”

 

“Yes, there is, but like on the docks, you have to be a pure human to be in a position to make any decisions,” Rollie replied.

 

Dee raised an eyebrow. “We’re definitely going to have a talk after this. From what I understand, there are supposed to be laws against discrimination for anyone in New York City, and those laws should be carried over to the unions.”

 

“Hey everyone,” J.J. greeted as he joined the adults at the table. “What’s everyone talking about?”

 

Dee looked over to the other side where the children were being seated at the children’s table. “Oh, we’re discussing how apparently at least one union seems to advance only humans.”

 

J.J. frowned as he looked from Dee to Rollie. “If that is true, then how come we never heard of it until now? Torchwood has always made it known that we will help anyone of a non-human race who faces discrimination.”

 

“That is true,” Rollie agreed. “We all know that, but we were also told that if any of the registered aliens dare to make a complaint to Torchwood, they would be let go. Jobs for the poor non-humans are hard enough to come by and you hold onto what you have no matter what. If we were let go, then that means no means of income for however long until something new can be found.”

 

“What about unemployment?” Dee asked.

 

Rollie shrugged. “They fix it so you’re ineligible to receive it. I’ve seen it done.”

 

“And what about the unregistered aliens?” Ted asked.

 

“What do you think?” Rollie replied. “They wouldn’t dare go to Torchwood because they’re illegal. They are afraid that they will be sent back to their home worlds or to a Torchwood camp.”

 

Dee and Ryo exchanged looks with the other members of their team. “Torchwood camp?” Dee asked as he started to frown more. “The only Torchwood camp I know of is the one we provide for low income alien families to send their children to get out of New York City for a few weeks.”

 

“We used to have camps for aliens who were not yet processed into the system or attempts were made to return them if they were unwillingly displaced,” Ryo added. “But that was a hundred years ago, before we started to integrate aliens as citizens.”

 

“There was talk that there still were such camps for anyone who did not go through the processing program,” Rollie said.

 

“Don’t tell me,” Ted stated. “The talk came from the rich, full-blooded humans who ran the company and the union.”

 

“Yes, and it scared people. There was also talk that even if you were a registered citizen that dismissal of work could possibly lead to being taken away to a camp,” Sueki stated.

 

“That’s preposterous!” Ryo exclaimed. “Torchwood today would never allow it.”

 

“If we come across non-registered aliens, yes we do take them in for questioning, but then we give them the option of going through the registration process,” Dee explained. “And the only time we sent any non-human to an area owned by Torchwood is if they prefer not to live in the city.”

 

“We have villages set up for that, but they are welcome to return for integration at any time they please,” Ryo added. “We use the housing sector in the tower for anyone who is going through registration. We don’t send them away unless they request it.”

 

“Seems we have something else to put on the agenda then when we get back,” Dee stated. “We should have the legal sector do some investigation.”

 

Ryo nodded his head in agreement. “But for now, it looks like they are ready to start serving, so save shop talk for after.”

 

“We still need to talk,” Dee said. “If what you said is true, then you have nothing to worry about since you are now Torchwood and no longer working for the docks.”

 

“If what he says is true,” Ryo stated thoughtfully, “I think we need to keep a close eye on the Hollenswags for a while after we get back. If the dock owners go through so much to keep the truth from getting to Torchwood, then who knows what they are planning once they learn one of their workers now works for us.”

 

Rollie’s eyes went wide and Sueki let out a gasp. Immediately her eyes went to her children, who already had tiny hot dogs rolled in puff pastry, potato puffs and cheese puffs on their plates, while one of the servers poured chocolate mint tea into heavy duty child size cups.

 

“I never thought of that,” Rollie stated, “but you are right.”

 

“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Ryo apologized. “And we’re going to do everything it takes to keep you all safe.”

 

“And Torchwood will step in and put a stop on this,” Dee stated. “Violating laws Torchwood put into play to protect non-humans can mean revoking business licenses. I don’t know if it’s just that one company or more, but we’ll find out.”

 

“Even if it is just the one,” Marty said, “from what I understand, they are the largest dock service in New York. If they lose their business license, it could cripple the shipping industry in the city.”

 

“Nonsense,” J.J. commented. “One or more of the other companies would just pick up the contracts. And with the additional jobs, they will need more workers. All we need to do is assure anyone who might lose a job when the business folds gets placed with the companies who need the additional people.”

 

“It might not be that easy, but we’ll see what we can do,” Dee replied. “Damn, I can’t believe how naïve I’ve been about this. I just figured that since we have laws in place that something like this wouldn’t be going on.”

 

“I didn’t think so either,” Ryo said, “and that was because we were under the belief that the union was fair too. We might have to work out something to have teams go in for unannounced visits, talk more with workers and make sure something like this doesn’t go on as long as it had.”

 

“You do realize that if we do this for one company, we’ll have to do the same for every business that hires non-humans,” Dee pointed out. “Which basically means almost every business in New York City.”

 

“Yes, it did occur to me,” Ryo said. “We can always do some research first and then look into any company that does not have non-humans up the chain of command.”

 

“That would work,” Dee replied.

 

“That might mean a whole new sector,” Drake pointed out.

 

“Or expanding an existing one,” J.J. said.

 

“I’m thinking more of expanding the integration sector, but the final decision I think will be up to Jack and Ianto,” Dee said.

 

“If they go for it,” Rollie stated. “I mean, that’s going to have to mean more money and from what you said about this sonic barrier program, it’s going to tap our resources. Isn’t it?”

 

“We’ll figure out something,” Dee said. “Once Jack and Ianto get wind of this, I know they’re going to want to go for the right thing. After all, that is the main reason Torchwood exists.”

 

“I thought it was to provide time travel and an organization that unregistered should be afraid of,” Sueki said, “but I’m learning there is so much more to it.”

 

“We offer time travel packages to the general public as one of the several businesses Torchwood owns that the majority of the profits are used to keep Torchwood running. Yes, we do get money through the United Nations as well as government funding, but in order to do everything we want, it doesn’t hurt to make our own money to use as needed,” Dee explained.

 

“Like I said, there’s a lot more to Torchwood that I’m learning and I’ll be glad to start re-educating some of our friends on that,” Sueki said with a smile.

 

“Can we actually engage in some polite small talk and start eating now?” Drake asked.

 

Dee laughed as Ryo shook his head fondly. “Point taken,” Dee said. “However we still are waiting for everyone to be seated before we start. Being that they just finished putting out the food, I’m pretty certain Tosh, Bikky and Carol will be joining us in a few minutes.”

 

ｚ

Dee was right because within a couple of minutes, Toshiko, Bikky and Carol arrived from the back and sat down in the three empty seats at the table.

 

“If I had known everyone else was already seated, we would have been here sooner,” Toshiko said with an apologetic smile.

 

“Not a problem,” Ryo assured her as he stood up and held out the chair for Toshiko. The rest of the men also stood up. “Food just came out.”

 

“Yup,” Dee said.  He watched as Bikky helped Carol be seated. Once both Toshiko and Carol were seated, Dee said down. “And now we can eat.” He reached out for the scones on a four tier serving dish set closest to him. The scones were the first course for the meal. Dee’s reaching for the food was a signal to the others that they could start to place items on their plates while the two servers went around the table offering two selections for tea.

 

 

OoOoOoO

 

 

After tea, Dee and Ryo took Rollie up to their stateroom and asked Toshiko and Ted to join them. The two asked the alien man questions, sometimes looking over whenever Ted or Toshiko looked like they had something to say. Ryo jotted notes as Rollie talked.

 

When they were done, Dee looked over to Toshiko. “I can’t believe this has been going on for all this time,” she exclaimed. “I know Ianto and Jack would back you up if you decide to do a full investigation into all unions in New York City,” she stated.

 

Dee was frowning. “We should have been watching the unions closer. Dammit! We got new laws passed and assumed that the big bosses would have to follow the law.”

 

“It might not be the business who is doing the discrimination,” Ryo stated.

 

“So you’re saying that All-Cont Shipping and Trading isn’t guilty?” Rollie asked, starting to look distressed.

 

“It could be the union that is breaking the laws,” Ted stated. “Businesses get policed now and then because everyone believes the unions are in existence to protect the workers.”

 

“It doesn’t let All-Cont off the hook if it is the union,” Toshiko remarked. “Doesn’t New York have several unions?” She looked over to Rollie.

 

“Yes, they do,” Rollie replied. “Not that we have a choice in which one to join if you are already working a job.”

 

“And if you want to continue to work, they force you into joining the associated union. Right?” Dee asked.

 

“You are right,” Rollie said. “I suppose I could have shopped around and picked a union before going to work, but I’ll admit I was desperate. To go through the union takes at least three months.” He let out a heavy sigh. “We weren’t always as bad off. Sueki and me, that is, before we left Rymoria and came to Earth. As you most likely already know, there is a bad political situation going on there and civil wars are constantly breaking out. Until we were forced to leave, we had a good life. We both worked. We both went through university where we met. I was in the art business. We owned a gallery. Sueki did the public relations for it, and ended up a junior partner in a company that supported the arts. We tried to stick it in, but then one night we were driven out of our beds when the troops came to our area. We lost the gallery, our home. We hardly made it out alive. We were broken, upset and ended up following our neighbors to what we thought was a shelter. It turned out they transported the homeless off planet and brought them illegally to other similar worlds. They couldn’t get asylum fast enough to transport us legally to those worlds. All they were interested in was getting those affected by the wars off planet as soon as they can. We lost everything and there was nothing to stay for. Because of the situation, there wasn’t any relief available to those affected by the war. You either took the offer to leave or lived on the streets and in danger of being caught up in more fighting. They didn’t ask for money or possessions. They weren’t Rymorian either.”

 

“One of those benefactor organizations, it sounds like,” Toshiko said.

 

Dee nodded in agreement. “Why do you think we have so many Rymorians in New York. We haven’t been able to detect one of the transports so far.”

 

“We suspect that they use some type of cloaking to avoid detection when they enter the Earth’s atmosphere,” Dee said.

 

“We landed somewhere in upstate New York, in the mountains and then we were taken to New York City using ground transport,” Rollie explained.

 

“That’s something like we had suspected. Not that we plan to stop them knowing what’s happening on Rymoria,” Dee said. “And at least whoever they are, they do encourage Rymorians to register with Torchwood and become citizens.” He gazed at Rollie, “So you arrived here illegally? Don’t start looking like that now. You are registered now.”

 

“Yes, I am. We arrived here with hand me down clothes that we were given and nothing else. For the first few months we lived in a shelter while we registered and looked for jobs. We wanted our own place as soon as we were able, so I landed the job on the docks, while Sueki got a job in a factory. She made corsets and bustles. With the two of us working, it wasn’t so bad. The two room flat was perfect for us. Then when she became pregnant, she had to leave her job. Half her pregnancy, she was in bed. And of course, she could not go back to work once she had the litter because it would cost more to have someone watch seven babies than one of us could make in a week. So she stayed home to raise our family, while I had to take on several jobs. Our lives might not have been the same as back on Rymoria, but family and love made it good. I needed the dock work because while it was hard work but low paying, it did pay the most out of all my jobs and it was more or less steady. I couldn’t afford to lose it. That job paid our rent and most of whatever food we were able to put on the table. So I never dared question them or even run to Torchwood. Some of our friends do not trust Torchwood but I’m not blind. I knew Torchwood had good intentions.”

 

Dee waved Rollie off. “No need to talk up your belief in Torchwood before this,” he said. “You could have come to us not trusting us at all. It doesn’t matter because you had no choice but to join us. Our job now is to make sure you believe in your work eventually. You already started to impress us and I have to say I’m glad you’re with us.”

 

“I have to once again thank you for your kindness. I understand this is technically a prison sentence, but I have to admit that it’s the best thing to happen to me since arriving here,” Rollie said. “And I am grateful for that, especially since I still have my family with me.”

 

“And your family still has you. Dee and I know you’re a good man who was in unfortunate circumstances and how one will do whatever it takes to protect your family,” Ryo started. “You also purchased whatever weapon you were able to afford while living in a bad neighborhood.”

 

“Plus you gave us an excellent description and identified the seller as Gwen Cooper. Ianto has our investigation teams working on locating her because we finally have an identity,” Toshiko said. “I know that both Ianto and Jack believe that Dee made an excellent decision on how to handle your sentence for using the weapon you had.”

 

Dee was looking at Ryo, who was finishing his notes. Ryo looked up and with a smile nodded at Dee as his eyes shifted to Toshiko.

 

“I think we have enough for now,” Dee said. “We can’t do anything until we return anyway, so we have several weeks should any of us have more questions for you. We’ll probably be coming to you once we get back and start our investigation into the unions and dock companies. Now for the other reason I asked Toshiko for joining us. I’ll let her talk now.”

 

“Rollie, I understand your situation more than you realize,” Toshiko said. “It wasn’t my choice to work for Torchwood. I worked for a government contractor in London when I was caught stealing blueprints for a sonic transducer.”

 

Rollie looked shocked but also like he did not believe her. “Now why would you do something like that?” he asked her. “You do not give me any impression of being so greedy as to do that.”

 

“It wasn’t greed,” Toshiko agreed. “The organization that had me steal the blueprints was holding my mother hostage. If I didn’t do it, they were going to kill her.”

 

Rollie’s look softened and he looked sympathetic. “Yes, I can see that. You also would do anything for your family.”

 

“I would, but this was before Owen and our children. I was imprisoned by UNIT and tossed in a small cell most probably for the rest of my life. Then one day I was told I have a visitor. It was Ianto. He heard about what had happened and made a deal with UNIT. Like you, I was bonded to Torchwood in lieu of continuing my sentence in a UNIT cell,” she explained. “At first I was frightened to come working for Torchwood, but it did give me much more freedom than I would have had with UNIT. I knew I made the right choice. I came to love working for Torchwood and believe in it. When my five years was up and I was offered the option to leave, I couldn’t. I can’t see myself doing anything but working for Torchwood.”

 

With a huge grin, Dee added, “And she’s also Torchwood’s Technical Director. She’s Ted’s boss.”

 

“Well, you’re my boss too, but Toshiko does make a lot of technical decisions that Dee sometimes has to work into our unit,” Ted said. “Which would also make her Dee’s boss in an indirect way.”

 

“So you see, Rollie, I came to Torchwood much like you. If you work hard and believe in what you do, you definitely can still have a chance to rise above general worker for the 27th precinct. I know Dee will not hold you back, no matter how many years he keeps you contracted in lieu of prison,” Toshiko said. “While we’re at it, please feel free to contact me anytime if you need to talk. I didn’t have that, but you do. Don’t be afraid to use it.”

 

“I suggest you take her up on it, Rollie. I know it seems like everything is better than that night you found an aircar in your living room, and I certainly don’t believe in abusing good workers, but I can imagine sometimes you will realize that you’re here because you have to be and it can be tough. Talk to Toshiko those times,” Dee stated.

 

“I can’t imagine you started like me,” Rollie said. “Wow. And I have to say that I do admire the length you went to keep your mother safe.”

 

“Thank you, Rollie,” Toshiko said with a pretty smile. “It’s obvious that family is important in you, which is why you will fit in on your team and in Torchwood. We all have our own reasons for coming to Torchwood, but you end up staying to protect your loved ones.”

 

“I already can see that,” Rollie admitted. ‘’If I didn’t sense that by this morning, I definitely can feel that vibe very strongly since this morning.” He looked over to Dee. “Once again I have to thank you for giving me a second chance. I feel far from being a prisoner even if I do understand that I’m obligated to work for Torchwood as a sentence for my crime. I want to let you and everyone here know that my loyalty to this organization will not be out of that obligation but through my belief in what I am discovering all you do.”

 

“That’s great to hear, Rollie,” Dee replied. “Believe me, if I sensed that you were a bad person I would not have given you this chance. It was who you are that made me come to my decision.” He smiled as Rollie ducked his head in embarrassment. “Anyone have any other questions for now?” Dee looked at Ryo, Ted and Toshiko who all shook their heads. “I think we’re done here. Everyone can do what they want until the dinner bell.”

 

“I talked to Damika,” Ryo said, “and she said that dinner is usually formal on this ship, but if someone wishes to be lax, they will still serve us.”

 

“So they’ll still serve us but not the under-dressed person?” Dee asked with a teasing grin.

 

Ryo swatted at Dee. “Yes, so you best put on your dinner clothes.”

 

Dee looked down at his khaki shirt tucked into black trousers. He decided to dress simple during the voyage, wanting the comfort of being at home while they were on the airship. He had changed from the clothes he wore when they boarded the airship after he and Ryo had made love earlier. Dee pouted at Ryo, which made the other man laugh. The others with them in their stateroom also laughed.

 

“Well, I guess Ryo is expecting me to put out orders to make sure our team leaves a good impression with this crew, so formal is required,” Dee said.

 

Toshiko turned to Rollie, “I don’t know how prepared Darla has Sueki with clothes, but if she needs something formal, she’s about my size and I can loan her something.”

 

Ted let out a sigh. “Hey Tosh, do you think you have something to loan me? I didn’t think we would have to go formal.”

 

Ryo and Toshiko started to laugh at Ted’s comment. “I’d love to see you in one of Tosh’s gowns,” Ryo remarked, and then laughed harder.

 

“Then you’re not eating, Ted,” Dee quipped. “’Cause as slim as you are, you’ll never fit into anything Tosh has, even if you actually do have the gall to wear her clothes.”

 

“I would say one of us guys could loan you something, but you’re so damn skinny, none of our clothes would drape you properly,” Ryo said.

 

“Now why would you not pack something formal when travelling officially for Torchwood?” Dee asked.

 

“Hey, I was thinking lounging on an airship and chasing dirty nasty Weevils when I packed,” Ted replied. “And you actually thought to pack formal?”

 

“He didn’t,” Ryo replied with a smirk, “I did for him.”

 

Everyone laughed as Dee blushed a little, but he recovered quickly and stated, “It’s easier now with both our clothes in the same wardrobe.” He grinned over at Dee.

 

“J.J. might be more your size except in height,” Ryo mused.

 

“Oh Lord,” Dee laughed. “Ted would be wearing shorts to dinner.”

 

“And that’s not including J.J.’s suits that do have shorts,” Ted said.

 

“Toshiko, I am most grateful of your offer,” Rollie said, “but Madam Maria made sure Sueki and I were outfitted with formal wear and my darling wife did pack them. In fact, I have a second suit that I can loan out. I think Ted would fit into it.”

 

Ryo looked between Ted and Rollie. “I do believe you’re right, Rollie. Ted could wear your clothes. That’s settled then.”

 

“Okay, then everyone is free until dinner,” Dee said. “We’ll most likely see at least some of you before dinner as we really can’t avoid each other while on this ship.”

 

Everyone took their leave. Dee leaned back in his chair and glanced over to Ryo. “So what are your plans now?”

 

Ryo stood up and stretched. “I did bring a couple of new books I want to read.”

 

“Oh,” said Dee as he watched Ryo stretch with interest.

 

Ryo turned and grinned at Dee. “If I’m bored, at least I have some reading. However, if you have any ideas to keep me from getting bored….” Ryo left the sentence hanging.

 

Immediately Dee was on his feet and pulling Ryo into his arms for a long kiss that was certain to lead to other more interesting things.

 

 

OoOoOoO

 

 

Dinner was a grand affair. At Dee’s request, all children were seated with their parents. Each family had their own table. The women were beautiful in their formal gowns and the men splendid in white ties and tails. Even the children were dressed up in little suits for the boys and fancy dresses for the girls.

 

All through dinner, Bikky could not take his eyes off of Carol, who wore a blush pink satin and white lace gown with beading in thin intricate patterns on the bodice. Her hair was piled into a back bun and held with a silver beaded snood and fastened in place with a long comb of tiny silver flowers across her crown. She looked like a young lady that evening.

 

Ryo had slipped Carol’s Aunt Elina money in the days before they left so Carol could have some formal wear, knowing she would need it. He knew she already had some dinner and tea gowns from previous functions through Torchwood and Maria’s fundraising, but he thought Carol would enjoy having some new things to wear. That would also mean she could wear something no one had seen her at the upcoming functions when they returned.

 

There was also Carol’s coming out next spring, but Ryo had already discussed it with Dee, and despite Maria being Carol’s sponsor who had put in the application for Carol to be presented at the Waldorf in May, it would be them who was going to provide the money for Carol’s wardrobe for the dances and balls leading up to the main event. Elina was able to provide a comfortable living as a registered nurse in the Torchwood emergency medical center which included fashionable clothes for both her and Carol, but she did not make enough money to dress Carol in gowns that were expected in events held by the social elite.

 

It was her association with Torchwood through Ryo and Dee, and by Maria taking the teenage girl under her wing that Carol found herself among the social elite of New York City. Anyone who had Director in their title in Torchwood had social requirements they were expected to fulfill and it included anyone in their family. Also because Dee was the only son and sole heir of one of the richest women in the United States who was also part of an international elite family, he had obligations to society there too. Ryo, while coming from an equally influential family, only recently found himself attending such functions more as Dee’s partner. He had little to do with his father’s family with exception of Elena, and even she steered as far from the rest of the family as possible. Both Ryo and Elena had inherited money from the family but received no more funds unlike the other members of their family. Ryo’s mother’s family wealth was mostly in Asia, centered in Japan and had no social influence in New York that required Ryo to represent them. However, he did have enough to help keep Carol in clothes that would have the social circles talking about her in a good way.

 

They would have enough time after they returned from this trip to make sure Carol was ready for the season and her debut, but for now they had their time in future Cardiff. Most of the time Carol would be able to be an average teenage girl with no social responsibility so they only had to think of proper clothing while travelling in official transport.

 

Over at the Hollenswag table, there was a lot of chattering and laughing, especially from the children. The laughter carried over to their parents. The other tables were not immune to the laughter, especially since it seemed to carry over to Marty’s children. Dinner was a jovial occasion. Afterward, one of the stewards was also an accomplished pianist and provided music for dancing.

 

 

OoOoOoO

 

 

Breakfast was served buffet style with everyone sitting where they wanted, including the couch areas and the outside decks. For the following three days, life settled into a routine much like the first day. Two hours in the morning after breakfast and two in the afternoon after lunch, Toshiko would give the children lessons. All the children from the youngest up to Bikky and Carol took to Toshiko’s lessons well. Ryo wished they were able to find someone with her knack for teaching in New York. If there was such a person, Ryo would employ her to give Bikky private instruction. Bikky always enjoyed his lessons with her and he came away with knowledge that he actually retained. His time in Cardiff would be productive when he returned back to his school, and for that Ryo was grateful. Bikky would not be the only child who would benefit. From what he was able to observe, Toshiko was able to get any child interested in her lessons and then to actually retain what they had learned. It was a gift to have that ability and one of the many gifts the Japanese woman had.

 

There was no dancing after dinner on their last evening of the voyage, and no one dressed in formal wear because by 10 pm the airship was pulling up to the Torchwood airship terminal on Cardiff Bay. They should have arrived before dinner, but there was weather to be avoided and they were diverted to a sky waystation to ride it out. It put them on the waystation for several hours and putting their arrival behind by that much. The adults and older children were getting anxious about finally arriving in Cardiff. As pleasant as the journey had been, the adults were at the point of fast cabin fever setting in. While they were able to walk around the way station, it was relatively smaller than even a small sky city with not as many options as a full sky city. Sky waystations were used as restocking and fueling platforms with a few fast service kiosks in a small dining area.

 

Everyone disembarked from the airship into the Cardiff Torchwood transit hub across Roath Basin. The tall structure for aerial vessels towered up from a building going along the basin. The lower level was wider than the upper structure and served for aircars and buses. There was a park-like terrace on the roof along with the boarding platforms. The upper structure consisted of two octagon towers that had a bridge between that had the fifth level waiting lounges for incoming airships and a café.

 

The tired group of travelers were lead into the VIP lounge, while a lounge attendant went to get them coffee. They were to relax in the lounge to get their land legs before going down and meet up with someone from Torchwood who would take them to their housing for the night.

 

Originally Dee and Ryo were planning on going to Ryo’s family house with Bikky and Carol, while Toshiko was assured she would be able to use the house that was reserved for her and Owen’s use when travelling to future Cardiff, while everyone else would be put up in Torchwood housing. Because of the time the weary travelers arrived, it was quickly decided that everyone would be put up in Torchwood housing and those with somewhere else to settle in for their stay would do so the next day. The adults were exhausted and the children were grumpy from being awakened from their sleep when the airship approached for docking. Dee did not think that Rollie’s children could ever be anything but bundles of excitement and joy, but by then he had already seen the children in their down time over the last few days. They were still a pleasure to travel with and there was so much they found new and exciting to the point that the seasoned and somewhat jaded travelers saw their journey as if it was the first time. Bikky, who still would be excited whenever they had to travel by airship but still had to act cool did not even try during their journey and enjoyed sharing his knowledge of experience to the younger children. However, Dee did not see any grumpy Hollenswag children until that night.

 

Dee felt sorry for Toshiko as she started to carry Aubrey off the airship, but as tired as Ryo was, he was quick to take the sleepy child from her and settle Aubrey in a cushioned chair next to Toshiko. Toshiko was an enjoyable travelling companion and as expected all the youngsters had enjoyed the time they had classes. Toshiko did not show how weary she had to be with all the time she had spent travelling. Previous to the past five days, she had just got off an airship for the journey from Cardiff to New York. She had a chance for a few hours of sleep before she was travelling back to present time only for a few hours later to do it again.

 

She was a good sport, and had been through much worse over her years with Torchwood and she had Dee’s highest respect for her. He also suspected that Bikky had a crush on her. He always perked up when she would be around and never minded the study sessions with her. If Dee and Ryo did not have positions they enjoyed in a city they loved and had a desire to protect, they would have packed up and moved to Cardiff in hopes that they could talk Toshiko into tutoring him. She had a way of tapping deep inside him and pulling out all the smarts that even Bikky didn’t think he had. What she taught him stayed with him. Dee and Ryo had discussed it one night in their stateroom and decided they would have to just take advantage of whenever they would spend time with her. They had the time of their training with Toshiko being there as a teacher for all the children in their group.

 

Fortified with coffee for the adults and hot chocolate for the younger children, everyone was taken down to street level where one of the new fuel-powered buses was waiting to take them to the Torchwood housing. They carried their overnight bags and would worry about the rest of their luggage in the morning.

 

Dee and Ryo assured their escort that they were just fine with the suite that was ready for them. The VIP quarters were not available because they were not expected to need a suite for the night. Bikky had the second bedroom in the suite, while Carol was put in a room on the same floor. Toshiko took the last available suite for the night, while everyone else settled into the flats that were their temporary homes for their stay in Cardiff.

 

 

 


End file.
